A fox in the real world
by Locke62
Summary: James is just your average gamer junky, spending his whole life devoted to his expertise. When he catches wind of some new technology that allows the player to enter the game, he doesn't even wait to finish reading the text. By winning the video game tournament and becoming the first person to have the honor of the new experience, it all has to go down the drain when Ahri to life.
1. Chapter 1

Hey, my name James. Why am I currently making a log to myself for no apparent reason? Well it was do this or keep staring at all the mechanical shit and needles these people are about to put into me.

My story is a simple one. I've been a major gamer since I was seven, and by the age of 15 I was a relative expert at both computer and console gaming. So one day I was snooping around on the internet to find a new game to add to the chopping block when I stumbled across this article about a new technology that would send you into the computer. Of course, being a huge tech wiz (you can't spend most of your life using the system without getting skilled at it.) I was completely drawn to the idea. Then I found out that their was a contest for first spot in and immediately signed up.

One month of intense gaming later and I was ready for my copy of sword art online and a nerve gear console. Instead, I got a growing regret of not reading the blasted documents before I signed up.

"Soooo, will this hurt?" I ask, looking over the series of tiny machines that they will be putting all over his body.

The surgeon stopped for a moment and gave me a plastic smile. "Not one bit. We have enough pain killers to numb an elephant. You are perfectly safe." That was an obvious lie. I have defeated computers that could lie better.

Great. I am so going to die, all for being good video gamer. The guy with the needle walked over to my side and asked if I was ready to begin. "Let's get over with it." I say, clearing my head as if I was going into a fast paced game to sharpen my reaction speed.

"Ok, first we're inject the numbing agents. This will make you feel all fuzzy, and don't worry if you pass out. You won't remember what happened anyways." The needle went in, and I went out.

For once, I was so glad that I actually missed all the action. When I woke up there was blood all over the bed and pain riddled my body. Dear god, if this was dying, I pity each and every AI I had ever killed.

"Ah your awake." I look over my shoulder to find a shocked looking Doctor who was reading some lab results on his clipboard. "You can sit up now." I then notice that the restraints are no longer on. You know, why the hell am I still talking to myself? I live! Suck it, Schrodinger! This box no longer contains me!

(Changing point of view, please wait. Lol.)

James swung his legs off of the operation table, winching in pain. The doctor clapped in delight at the simple movement.

"Excellent, your body is still in working order! I was worried for a moment." James flinched, covering his ears from the pain. His head was pounding as if someone had hit him with a sledgehammer and the doctors loud voice wasn't helping.

"Give me the lowdown doc. Quietly please." James got to his feet and staggered over to the cushioned chair next to the desk, the tools they had used in the surgery still covered in his blood. The pain was great, but his wish to not be sitting in his blood was greater.

"Ok. The full length summary would take quite a while, and I get a feeling from the look your giving me that you don't care anyway. So I'll keep this short."

"At the base of your skull we installed a very complex devise that transmits your brain waves to the computer, making it so that if the devise is turned on you can physically manifest yourself into the desired program."

"In your spine we installed a nerve signal blocking system, so when you are online the actions you do their don't get repeated my your physical body. You get the joke?" James nodded, waving his hand. The list continued. James stopped paying attention to what the gadget was and focused more and more on what they would do. It was easy enough to remember where they all were since they were all near the back of his skull. In essence, it was a bunch of specially built machines that linked to form one extraordinary computer.

The digital thought converter, as the big brains called it, allowed him to get all the sensory information he can get from the real world in the game. Pretty much nerve gear without the helmet. And it ran on the energy his body produced normally too.

"That's all cool and all, but how do I turn it on?" James asked.

"It's thought activated. If there is wi-fi nearby, you can connect to whatever you want. If connection is broken, you should return to your body automatically." The doctor told him excitedly. "Imagine, with this we could start making medical cures for diseases through code, we could bring back function to paralyze bodies, we could get rid of the boarders between countries! We could make a whole new world, isn't that exciting?" James nodded. The pain was starting to die down, making him feel suddenly very tired.

"Shall we test it?" James asked, getting to his feet. The motion didn't hurt as bad as it did last time, so he took it that he was recovering. The doctor nodded vigorously before leading him out of the room.

"Wow." James said as he turned in a circle as they entered another room full of all the gaming equipment he could ever want. It ranged from the newest games of Xbox and PlayStation to the old classic of Nintendo 64.

The speaker over head clicked on, the scientists on the other end of a glass window calling in over their mike. "Choose whatever you want. If this test succeeds, we will continue on to marketing."

James carefully considered his options as if he was choosing his character build. Then the teenage part of him took control and he chose the computer. After a quick download and log in, James booted up his league of legends account and jumped right into a public match. The timer for the match counted down, James so excited he could explode.

3...

2...

1...

BOOM! James went flying backwards as the computer exploded, crashing into the wall and collapsing in pain. That didn't stop him from covering up all the expensive gaming systems when sprinklers turned on and put the fire out. The sprinklers quickly turned off and he stood up, only to get sent flying again as a flash appeared were the computer and sometimes large, soft, and red shot out and hit him in the chest.

"Ahhahahaowwwww!" James cried out, his eyes tearing up with pain. Why did he ever compete in that contest if it hurt this bad? He reached up to massage the back of his head, only to stop when he didn't find the scars from his recent surgery. "Wha..." He broke off as he finally looked down. There, laying down on top of his beaten body, was an unconscious woman with fox ears and nine tails.

"Ahri?"

to be continued...

 **Hey guys, thanks for clicking on whatever link brought you to my story. I decided I wanted to play around with this idea off of a whim, so if I get some support I will continue on with it. Please comment below on what you thought, I will probably have a new chapter up by the end of the week.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Ahri?" James put his hand one of the tails, the heating coming off of the girl strengthening the fact that she was real. "What the hell is going on?" He tried to push the fox off of him, pain shooting through his back. He stopped his effort and looked to the men and women in lab coats on the other side of the glass.

It hadn't gone much better on the other side of the glass. When James's computer exploded, so did a good deal of their equipment. The camera screen were flickering in and out, most of the computers had blew up or short circuited. There was no small amount of blood splattered on the ground from the shrapnel. One of the men was on the phone on the wall, talking in a panicked manner.

One of the scientists finally noticed he was still breathing. "Hey, he's alive! Subject 001 is still alive!" For some reason, only that guy seamed to care.

"You think you can get off me?" James said, poking the apparently sleeping fox. He yelped in surprise and pain when she bit him.

"Don't wana." Ahri said cutely, not opening her eyes and cuddling her head into his chest. "Your comfortable."

"And suffering. Get off of me!" She did as she was told, not because he asked, but because he pulled one of her tails. James immediately regretted it when a look of anger flashed in her eyes, her hands on her hips as she glared down on the wounded teen. _Oh my god, I am going to die to this woman before I can play fallout 4. Can this day get any worse?_

A glowing blue orb appeared in Ahri's hand, which she tossed back and forth while she considered something. "I'll let you live this once, since you were a suitable pillow for my crash landing." The orb was sent flying at the door, nocking it off its doorframe. "I'll be going now."

"Wait, you can't go out there!" James sat up much to the displeasure of his beaten body.

"And why not?" Ahri asked. A bunch of armored figures and scientists came through the door, answering her questions.

"Because in this word, people tend to kill what they don't understand. And you happen to be a mystery." The men moved in and surrounded the girl, the armored men aiming their guns at the unarmed girl.

"Miss, we would like you to come quietly." The head scientist said, still holding his bleeding arm. "We don't want to hurt you."

Ahri stood quietly as she gave each one of the men a look over. "Hmmmm, should I increase your heart beat, or stop it?" A smile spread across her lips as she locked eyes with one of the men.

James saw what she was going to do and yelled out. "Ahri, no!" Too late. Ahri summoned an orb over each one of her tails and sent them flying into the men around her. She then summoned her fox fires and took out the last of them. The nine tailed girl raised an eyebrow at his outburst. "Doing that now labeled you a threat. They most definitely want you dead now." He got to his feet, trying to ignore the pain. "Dear god, I so hate escort missions."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just follow me and do as I say." James limped out of the room, using the wall as a support. The alarms were wailing and he could hear the sound of boots marching on the hard floor. For once, Ahri followed his directions. The group of security personnel rounded the corner ahead and raised their weapons, shouting out warnings.

"Stand down! Both sides, stand the fuck down!" James gave a loud, deep bark, surprising all in the room. _Damb, it's like keeping the hord of MMORPG players in line during a raid._ He thought. Who could have thought World of Warcraft would turn him into a battlefield commander. "That includes you, Ahri. I can feel the heat from the fox fires." The girl stored the fires, putting on an innocent face.

"Get on the ground, now!" The men approached, not lowering their not guns. James complied, gladly dropping to his knees and putting his hands behind his head. What? He was still in pain.

Ahri's eyes narrowed dangerously, believing that something was wrong because they didn't follow James order. She lowered into a stance, preparing to make a dash. That was up until James let out another bark and got on her knees. "What are you doing?" She hissed.

"Saving your life. Keep following my orders." James whispered. "You are not a threat, now act like it." He went quietly when the guards yanked him to his feet.

* * *

The door to the room were James was being held opened and a smartly dressed man walked in. "Hello, my name is Tomas Caliber. I trust your James?"

James nodded, getting to his feet. Even thought the room only contained a few books, tables, and chairs, James found a rather comfortable spot on the floor for a rest. And for once in what felt like forever, he wasn't in a lot of pain. "Do I dare ask for a casualty report?" He asked, pretty sure something happened.

"You will be pleased to know that she hasn't killed anyone." Tomas said, holding the door open in a nonverbal gesture to follow him. "But handling her is a bit difficult."

"How so?" James said. Tomas led him to the elevator and pushed the button for the fifth floor. The labs were on the third floor, and it was really painful to get to the waiting room on the first floor were he was told to wait because they made him take the stairs.

"The people who were there think she should be killed, the scientists want to cut her up, and the other guys want her in bed." Tomas said nonchalantly, then looked over at James with a slightly amused look. "But you already figured that part already, did you?"

"Yup. That occurred to me as soon as she took down the first batch of men." James replied, his hands in his pockets. The door opened and they walked down the hall. "How often does a major problem occur here? One does not simply have that many guards in body armor in a simple medical facility."

"But you forget what we do here." Tomas said, coming to a stopping outside a door with a mechanical lock. James politely diverted his eyes. "We have one of a kind research going on here. Protection is a must." James shrugged, seeing the logic.

"So what do you need me for?" The door opened to a room with a one way glass on one of the walls and a long table in the middle. Siting around the table was a bunch of important looking people and Ahri, who was leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed.

"She refuses to talk without her 'pillow'." James could now see why Tomas was so amused when they met. "So pillow, would you please join us?"

* * *

"Hey pillow, were are we going?" Ahri asked. James was really getting tired of the fox girl. The pair of them stood at a bus station waiting to go home, the snow around them a dirty color from the exhaust of passing cars.

"My place. I convinced them that you would behave yourself and they allowed me to be your caretaker." James said, shivering slightly. He looked jealously at Ahri, who's only protective gear she had against the weather was his sweatshirt. "If that could be the term. You practically forced them to allow you to live with me."

"Is there a problem with that?" Ahri asked playfully. "A lot of men have asked me to live with them."

"None that still have to live with their parents by law." James shuddered to think about what they would do when they found out he had summoned a extraordinarily hot girl from the realm of video games and was now required by law to take care of her. They allowed the video games because he was outstanding in school, but bring borderline porn to life was probably going to earn him some time behind bars in his room.

"I can always charm them." Ahri pointed out. The bus arrived and they boarded. They took a seat close to the back, the fox girl getting a lot of looks.

"No, that's against the rules." James resisted the urge to pull the girl in for a hug. Not out of attraction, but because the heat pouring off of her body could boil water. Ahri noticed and leaned against his shoulder.

"You're into me, aren't you pillow?" She asked seductively. James was torn between pushing her off or leaving her there as his personal heater. One look at the people staring at him told him they would gladly take her if they thought she wasn't already his.

"Stop calling me that." He said, slipping his arm around her waist. Some people looked away, disappointment evident. "My name is James." Then, more quietly, he added. "Tone it down a little. Unlike in your world, bad things tend to happen to girls who are to open about their, uh, desires." Ahri got the message and stopped her actions, but she remained leaning on his shoulder.

After leaving the city, they switched busses for one that would take them closer to James's house. Upon request, Ahri had decided to stay close to him. They even held hands, mainly to discourage that one guy who smelled like drugs from trying anything, and partly so that James could still get some of the heat from the nine tailed fox.

When they finally got off at a bus stop near his house, James let go of Ahri's hand and set off at a jog, Ahri following close behind. James led the way through the neighborhood, slipping on the ice once while turning the corner, until he slowed to a halt. They were standing outside of one of your average sized house, the yard covered in undisturbed snow. The driveway was freshly shoveled, the little stones in the concrete staring at the teen as if daring him to fall down and cut himself up again.

James looked at Ahri again, this time with a bit of fear in his eyes. "I'll go first. If they overreact and start attack me, you have my permission to grab me and run." He meant it as a joke, but he wouldn't be to surprised if they did act a bit extreme. She nodded and he opened the door.

"Hey guys, I'm home!"

 **Hey guys, I got the chapter up just as I said I would. I would like to thank you on reading my work and I would dearly like to know your opinion on how I did. I find it very helpful for fixing mistakes and improving my story.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey guys, I'm home!" James called out as he opened the door. He slipped his shoes off, gesturing for Ahri to do the same.

"Where the hell have you been?" A high, female voice rang out angrily. Ahri noted curiously that James was physically shaking as a short, squat woman stomped out of the kitchen, carrying a knife. Ahri caught the scent of beef wafting out of the room where the woman emerged.

"A problem came up and I had to stay longer." James replied, fidgeting with something in his pocket. His mothers eyes narrowed when she saw Ahri, letting out a very annoying aura. Her gaze then drifted to the tails.

"Who is she?" She asked suspiciously, eyeing the poor fox girl like a hunter deciding how to kill her prey.

"The problem." James stepped to the side, raising his arm with his palm up in a gesture for her to step forward. Ahri understood and stepped forward.

"Hello, my name is Ahri." The girl introduced herself, bowing politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Her tails shifted uncomfortably as the woman looked her over, glancing at James for reassurance that she had done the right thing. He nodded in approval, stepping between the girls before anything awkward could be asked.

"Mom, could I please talk with you and dad for a minute? Ahri, you can just go up the stairs. Last door on the right." He ushered his mother into the kitchen, ordering Ahri to move it under his breath. Ahri walked calmly up the stairs, only to bolt as a loud slam was emitted from the kitchen. She looked back guiltily at the source of the noise, debating on whether to save the guy or follow her orders.

 _Ahhh, sorry James. Good luck._ She made her way to the room she was told about and opened the door, taking in the sight. The bed was an absolute mess, with the covers heaped up and wrinkly. On the desk was a neat stack of text books and a computer, a backpack leaning up against it. An average size TV sat on top a bookcase, a comfortable looking chair placed in front of it. An assortment of video games and books cluttered the shelfs. She picked up one of the books and started to flip through it, interested in what the man she was now living with was interested in. The title of the book was Eragon.

"So you can read our language." Ahri looked up as James shambled in and collapsed on his bed. "That was a curiosity of mine."

"So what's the verdict?" Ahri asked, closing the thick book and putting it back on the shelf. "Can I stay?"

James was silent for a while, his head buried in his blankets. "You have to stay. By law, I have to be with you no matter where we go." He rolled over so he could face her, his tired face frowning slightly at the sight of Ahri in his gaming chair. "I made sure to get all kinds of documents to make it safe for you to live here. That way we don't have random cops or military coming after you while we find a way to send you home."

"So that's why you wanted me to charm those guys." Ahri lit up as she realized what happened, pleased she could figure out what was going on. James sweat dropped, wondering how much trouble it would to keep this ditz in line. Ahri, on the other hand, was beginning to respect the human even more. "I'm lucky that I met such a smart guy right off the bat." She grinned as James blushed ever so slightly at the complement.

"I guess." He said sheepishly, deciding to accept the compliment. He then remembered something. "It will be a little while till dinner. Mom wants to know if you eat beef." They both laughed at the stupid question.

"No, I'm a vegetarian." Both of them found it hard to breath as the fell into a fit of laughter, James literally falling off of the bed. Once they calmed down enough, James got to his feet and left the room, desperately suppressing a smile. Ahri waited patiently for him to return, giggling every now and then. James returned rather quickly, delivering his message and disappearing quietly when his mom looked away for a second.

James came back to the room to find his foxy companion on the floor peaking under the bed, her tails waving. He waited behind her patiently as she continued to find nothing under his piles of laundry and trash for a few minutes before an impish grin formed on his lips. Being very quite, he reached out and grabbed her tails into a bundle and tackled her, pinning her under the bed.

"Tails!" He squealed happily. Ahri struggled underneath him, kicking at him and trying to scratch him. All the while James was petting her tails, dearly enjoying himself. He eventually let her go, only to put her in a choke hold when she came out and start scratching at the base of her ears.

"Let me go!" Ahri wined, her face glowing red with embarrassment. She had been with many guys, sure, but none of them had ever held her down to play with her ears and tail. While the scratching was not unpleasant, far from it, it was highly uncomfortable to be pinned down while he did it. "I'll let you continue, but please release me!" The grip around her neck loosened and she felt James's head press against her ears. A second later he released her and pushed her off his lap.

Ahri crawled about a foot away before plopping down, keeping her eyes diverted from him as if hoping he couldn't see how red her face was. "Where did you learn to do that?" She asked, petting the back of her ear.

"We had a cat." James said simply, then added sheepishly. "Sorry for being so rough. I don't know what came over me."

Ahri's ears perked up at the at the mention of a cat. "Where is it?" She asked, glancing around as if it would slink out of nowhere at anytime.

"Dead." James said flatly. Ahri looked back at him to find him suddenly serious, his face stony. She tried to apologize but he waved it away. "It's fine. We parted a long time ago." They were both saved from the awkward silence that had filled the room when James mother called from down stairs, telling them that dinner was done.

The only thing that felt out of place during the rest of the evening was magically on the ten second trip from the room to the kitchen table James turned from the silent brooding teen to his usual outgoing self. His parents treated her as if she was their own daughter (a bit friendlier from the father, who mysteriously kept flinching all throughout dinner. Ahri couldn't understand what was up there.) and to top it off, the food was really good.

When she complimented James mother, named Marry, she just brushed it of with a good natured chuckle. "It's nothing, I've been doing it for years. Just don't eat James's cooking, he can screw up just about anything you can't just put together by hand." Everyone but James laughed.

"Hey, I only set the stove on fire once!" The whole table laughed, Ahri imagining the panicked teen trying to beat out the fire with a towel. Dinner passed with a lot of stories of James as a boy, a few ones from James about his parents that were just as bad. Dad left the table towards the end of dinner, getting a mysteriously bleeding knee after he told Ahri she could just call him dad.

"You kicked him, didn't you?" Ahri whispered to James as his mother took her and her husband's plate to the sink. He nodded, not looking up from his food. He had taken it upon himself to finish all the leftovers. With a little bit of salt, the vegetables were vanishing like candy. He also passed the meat over to Ahri, claiming that it was pretty dry. She agreed after a few bites, blaming the salt.

"How could you tell it was me?" James asked as he took their plates to the sink, quickly cleaning them with a wash cloth.

"The smell of blood on your shoe." James looked down. There was indeed a bit of blood on the toe of his shoe, still wet. He wiped it of with his sleeve, not bothered at all by it.

Marry ducked her head around the corner. "Hey dear, the baths open if you want to use it. Towels in the cabinet."

Ahri thanked her. "I'll use it later, after I'm done talking with James." Marry smiled and retreated back around the corner. James finished his work and set the dishes on a towel to dry. "Is it ok if I use the bath?" She asked.

"Go right ahead. This is your home now too, you don't need to wait for my permission to do everything now." James told her, drying his hands on his shirt. "Just check for cameras first. My dad can be a bit of a pervert."

"Ok, I will." Ahri surprised him with a hug before bouncing off to the bathroom. After a quick check for cameras, she took a towel out of the cabinet and set it on the sink and stripped before she hopped in the shower. She pumped it up to full blast, the hot water feeling good on her skin. The room quickly filled up with steam, making it feel like a sauna. Ahri took her sweet time washing, gently scrubbing her curved body of all the sweat that had accumulated on her skin. After she finished scrubbing her body, she reached over and grabbed one of the multiple bottles on a little white shelf, adding what she believed to be shampoo to her hair. As soon as she started to rinse said shampoo out of her hair, she gagged as a strong odor filled the room. It was especially bad with her heightened sense of smell.

Upon rereading the label, Ahri found out she was using an axe body wash. She made a mental note that the two of them were not the same thing and to not touch the bottle again. She held her breath as the last of it washed out of her hair, running in little streams down her back and breasts. She began to read the other bottles, only to flee the shower as it began to shoot out cold water.

"James, I'm done with the shower. Like what you see?" Ahri called out in a singsong voice as she opened the door. She immediately tripped and fell down when her foot made contact with the sleeping teen on the floor. "What in the world are you doing down their?" She complained, rubbing her temple. She poked at him, failing to wake up the male with every attempt. She even tried tickling him when poking didn't work, only succeeding in giving him scratches.

"Fine, be that way." Ahri pouted. "You will have nowhere to complain in the morning."


	4. Chapter 4

James woke up well rested, having slept better than he had in a long time. Who would? Having such warm, soft, furry covers to sleep under...

"Wait what?" James eyes flew open as he realized what that last thought meant. Now that his mind was on full alert, James found his arms restrained by a naked Ahri, treating him like a pillow with her head resting on his chest and her arms holding him in a surprisingly powerful hug. Her tails wrapped around them like a heated blanket, almost putting James back to sleep. She had thrown off the cover, leaving it in a crumpled lump on the bed. Her ears twitched ever so slightly in her sleep, a cute smile painted on her lips. ""Actually, this is kind of nice." James was tempted to kiss her, her tantalizing lips being so close to his and all, but he held himself back. Another time. He told himself. He instead pulled his arms free and pulled her in to cuddle, lazily drifting off to sleep.

When James woke up again, he was getting beaten over the head with a broom. "Help! Crazy woman attack me!" He raised his arm to fend off the blows, his other one still pinned under a still sleeping Ahri. "Wake up! Time to pay the bills!" And just like that, the girl shot of the ground and caught the broom, setting it on fire. James's mother dropped the broom, stepped back in shock. James diverted his eyes, his little self getting stiff at the sight of the glorious body of his companion.

"That's for attacking my pillow." Ahri said, snapping her fingers. Her blue flames extinguished, leaving behind the smoldering remains of the broom.

"Bu-bu-but..." Marry stuttered, backing up into the wall. "You two just met yesterday! It's to early to be having sex!"

"What are you talking about?" Ahri asked, confused. The older woman just pointed to her chest, still shaking from shock. Only then did Ahri understand what was going on. "Oh, that. I just decided to sleep nude since I had no change of clothes." She explained with a shrug. "I only decided to sleep with him since it was cold and I tripped over him." She was silenced by a tee shirt to the face, expertly thrown by James. It was quickly followed by a pair of sweatpants.

"You'll get sick if you sleep naked." James said, grabbing a sweatshirt from the closet and slipping it on. In reality, he was just using it as an excuse not to stare at Ahri's boobs as she was getting dressed. "You can use mine until we take you shopping."

James's mom had finally came back from her shock and was helping Ahri get dressed, which proved to be kind of funny because she kept putting on the clothes backwards or inside out. "I'm not paying for her clothes, you know." James let out a sigh as his mom dished out his punishment for sleeping with a girl. "You should have seen it coming."

"I did. I just hoped I wouldn't have to." James followed the girls out of the room, gloomily listening to the girls talk about clothing. This was going to cut a really large chunk out of his gaming money.

They had pancakes and a side of bacon for breakfast, at least the girls did. James was stuck with a sad pile of toast and milk. His mom said that his father had eaten his portion before he left for work, but James knew she was still just upset about what she found when she came to wake them up because his father only had a cup of coffee for breakfast.

After the food was done, James tried to slink away to his room to play video games. He was stopped halfway up the stairs by his mother ordering him to get his shoes on and take Ahri shopping. He sulkily came back down and put his shoes on, resigned to his fate. Only when his mom told him to give Ahri the jacket did he flip out, going on a rant about child abuse that only ended when Ahri grabbed the hood of his sweatshirt and pulled it off him, zipping it up as she walked out the door.

"Is she always so hard on you?" Ahri asked as they made their way to the bus stop, waiting for a bus that would take them to the stores.

"No, I just think she is a bit disturbed by us sleeping together. Especially because you were naked." James checked his phone for the time. "She never really saw much potential in me really. She puts up with my gaming because I keep my grades high and pay for it myself. Not in a million years did she actually think I would end up dating, especially someone as hot as you."

"Oh, so you are hitting on me." Ahri teased, nudging him in the side.

"We're not dating." James replied flatly. "But I won't lie about finding you attractive." She laughed and gave him a peck on the cheek, causing him to blush. "Please don't play with me." He said, pushing her away with a grin.

The pair of them got onto the bus when it arrived (James having to stop to teach Ahri that the machine wasn't using magic to spit out the paper). It was a 12 minute ride to the store, all the while Ahri was either leaning on James for support or staring out the window. She reminded him of a great big child, constantly being impressed by everyday technology that he was used to.

But what was even more funny was the face of the helper lady at the clothing store. They walk in the door and all eyes were on her. James could have swore he heard a chorus of thuds as jaws hit the ground, causing him smile to himself.

"Hi, how can I help you?" Ahri stopped as a teenage girl in uniform walked up for them, staring at the tails.

"Yes, we would like to get some new clothes for my, uh, girlfriend." James said the last word rather loudly in the silent room, making eye contact with the various males. He then added in a whisper to the girl. "There real, go ahead and touch them."

Ahri hit him in the back of the head, tucking her tails behind her. The girl led the way to the clothes, standing bye in case they needed assistance. "You know, you didn't have to try to intimidate the whole room. You're like 6'9!"

"6'1" James corrected. He checked over his shoulder, glaring at the random guy peaking over the rack. "As I said before, this world isn't friendly. I'm not going to slip up again." He quickly grabbed Ahri's arm as she began to gravitate towards the dresses. "Price tag, little lady." He reminded her, steering her towards stuff he could afford.

Two hours later (holy shit women can shop!) James followed Ahri out of the store loaded down with bags, crying ever so slightly. Even though she bought things within price range, she totally spent every single cent he had.

"Are you sure you can carry all those?" Ahri asked, looking over her shoulder. "I can carry more."

"No no, I got it." James said brightly, waving away her offer with a smile. As soon as her back was turned he returned to crying. _My mom would kill me if I don't carry maximum capacity._ He sobbed to himself.

The trip home was rather pleasant for Ahri. In between James's crying fits (her fox ears could easily hear it, even when he thought he was silent.), the guy freely chatted with her, even making her laugh at times. She also enjoyed the idea of a walking death machine following her around, because that was the kind of aura he gave off when ever some smooth talker opened their mouth.

They were walking the final stretch home when Ahri finally got fed up with James sulking when he thought she wasn't listening. "Ok, cough it up." She demanded, coming to an abrupt stop in front of him.

"What?" James asked, his eyes drying instantly and in a extraordinarily convincing tone. And Ahri thought she was inhuman. Tails apparently didn't cut it.

"You've been crying ever since we left the store. Tell me what's up." She turned and glared at the boy, her hands planted on her hips.

James, realizing he had been caught, came clean. "You spent every single cent I had. That means I can't afford to pay for Xbox live, can't get now games, and can't buy anything that I find interesting. But that's hardly anything, since I am okay with the reason. What really sucks is my mom is forcing me to be a servant now. I mean look at this!" He pulled out his phone and opened up a recent text message.

"If you touch that girl one more time, I will force you to quite your job and throw out all your stuff. You are to take care of all her problems, do her laundry, and buy her anything she asks for to make up for it. If you tell her, I will... Mother of god, she is horrible." Ahri covered her mouth as she finished reading the text, horrified by how personal it got. She dropped her bags and ran the last of the distance to the house, spirit rushing part of the way.

"Don't hurt her!" James shouted, picking up her bags and following as quickly as possible. Once he reached the house, he could hear the argument from outside. The rational part of him told him to drop the bags and run, screaming at him to run and never come back. The other half was just to frightened to respond to his call.

He tried to ignore his fear and better judgement and reached for the doorknob, only to stop and drop the bags when a blue flash painted the windows. "Screw it." James turned tail and ran.


	5. Chapter 5

"James, I know your not popular with the girls, but don't you think this is a bit extreme?" Kyle asked his friend, handing over the BB gun that was requested. James had told him that his mom and another girl were fighting in his house and if he went in he would be torn to shreds.

"Not in the slightest." James replied, loading the fire arm. The gun was a single shot rifle, fairly accurate and reliable. "You have no idea what kind of monster has been angered, man. It will be a miracle if everyone survives." Kyle just put his hands up in surrender. "Thanks for letting me hide here." James added, not forgetting his to express how grateful he was over his paranoia.

"Just keep the house open when I need a place to hide." The two shared a fist bump and walked out of kyle's bedroom, distracting themselves with a debate over guns.

Meanwhile, about a mile and half away, Ahri had finally yelled his mother into submission when she realized that James had not entered the building. "You can come inside now, we're done arguing." She called out cheerfully, opening the door to find the bags of clothes on the icy ground and footsteps leading away.

"Um, Marry, he's not here." Ahri called over her shoulder as her smile faded from her face, Worry replacing her cheerful demeanor. "Stay here while I go after him." She took off without waiting for an answer, numerous reasons for why he could have disappeared running through her head. _Did he run from me? Did he run because I made his problems worse? Was he afraid that I would hurt him too?_ She feared the worse as she ran through the snow, following the teen's footprints. When they began to backtrack and disappear, she relied on his sent trail to follow him.

"How fast do you have to run to go this far?" She muttered under her breath as she ran. The guy must be pretty fast to go over a mile under 15 minutes.

Ahri slowed to a halt outside a one story house, examining it with the eyes of a predator. The scent trail she had been following led straight into the house, meaning this was were James was hiding. After a quick scan of the area for defenses she approached slowly.

Ahri nocked politely on the door, figuring that if she just bursted in he would run away again. A woman in her early thirties answered the door and looked her over with a curious gaze. "Can I help you?" She asked, her eyes locking on the tails.

"Yes, is James here?" Ahri asked, peeking past toe woman. Sure enough, there he was in the living room. He had his back to the door and was talking with another boy, a gun leaning against the couch just within reach.

The woman noticed her gaze and let her in, stepping to the side so she could pass. "James, this girl wants to see you."

In an instant, James's head snapped around and the gun was in his hand. A split second later he spun into a kneeling position using the couch as cover and opened fire. Ahri spirit rushed down the hall, dodging the bullets with ease before she tacked James to the ground as he tried to run away.

"Don't go!" She cried, burying her face into his sweatshirt. For the first time since all the negative thoughts and worries had been wearing down at her, the sight of James's doing his best to shoot her and run tipped over the edge. "Don't hate me." She said, tears starting to drip out of her eyes.

James was stunned. He had expected her to be angry, not to be holding onto the front of his sweatshirt and crying like a lost child. He felt guilt build in his chest as she continued to cry softly, dampening the front of his clothes. "It's ok, I got you." James whispered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. He began to rub her back soothingly, rocking side when she began to hiccup. "I have you."

Ahri extended her arms around James, holding him tightly. "Don't leave again. I need you." She buried her head in the crook of his neck, comforted by his scent. James rested his head on the back of her neck, humming a comfortable tune.

"If you need me, just tell me." He moved his hand up from her back and began to pet her head, making sure to get her ears. He closed his eyes, feeling a tear start to drip out of his eye. "Cheer up, little one. Your making me sad too." A feeling of pleasure spiked in his chest as she laughed slightly.

The pair of them stayed in that position for a while, Ahri calming down over time. By the time all the tears were shed, both of them were emotionally drained.

James had forgotten were he was up until that point, his focus concentrated on the girl curled up in his lap. So it was a slight surprise when Kyle spoke up, breaking the mood.

"Sorry to break you two up." Kyle said carefully. "But do you mind telling us what's going on?" His eye twitched in irritation when James just let out a sigh in response. If he wasn't feeling guilty for leaving Ahri, James would have been highly amused. "Just tell me what's with cosplay girl and you already!" Ok, now James was amused.

"It's not cosplay." James said simply, expertly keeping a straight face when he was internally laughing at his friends face. "Remember that contest I won? Instead of getting the gaming experience of a life time, I got myself a problem with nine tails." He winched as he felt said problem's teeth sink into his skin playfully. "I could have sworn you were depressed, not volatile."

Ahri was silent for a moment. "Did you run away because I was a problem?" She whispered, the playful burst dampening back down. "I will admit that everything I do is the wrong choice, so does that mean you hate me?"

"Not one bit, Ahri." James said chuckling slightly. "I ran away because I could tell you were on the verge of murdering someone, not because you are a pain in the ass." He pet her head fondly, an affectionate smile on his face. He meant it in a teasing manner, but it still thrilled him when she began to purr. He didn't quite understand how a fox could purr, but he didn't care. She was to adorable to care about the science.

"You are going to tell me everything, aren't you?" Kyle asked, feeling envious of his friend who was still pinned underneath the extraordinary hot girl. "And is it too late to call dibs?"

"Too late." James said with a smile. "She called dibs as soon as I saved her life." He had to push Ahri away as she tried to pull in more of his body for a hug, attempting to use more of him as a pillow. "But I think that was because I'm a comfortable bed."

James pulled a still pouting Ahri to her feet before he led the way to the living room, upon where he sat down Kyle and his mom and started telling them his tale. Ahri pitched in every now and then, her tears completely gone. Her frown was replaced with her sly grin, brightening up whenever James would praise her or pet her. Throughout the whole story her tails swished back and forth, often catching James in the nose and making him sneeze. They stopped when James caught the tail and pulled it.

"So to sum it up." Kyle said slowly. "You won the deal of a life time, the place exploded and you got the woman of a life time, but you still haven't had the best sex of a lifetime?" James nodded, not entirely getting why Kyle was talking so slowly. He wasn't an idiot.

"Yeah. She kills my wallet, my moms turns into a dictator, and I'm used as a personal pillow every night." James summarized. "I have to admit, I've never slept as good as when she cuddles, but my mom had a field trip when she found out." To make a point, he pulled out his wallet and shook it out. A single, sad penny fell to the ground.

Kyle lunged forward and started to shake his friend, yelling loudly. "Who gives a fuck about your games! There is more to life than your insanely high KD! Just take her to bed already!" His shaking was stopped as Ahri suddenly appeared between them and kicked the pervert in the chest, sending him flying.

"James is my pillow." She said confidently, staring down on the gasping teen. "But when it comes to anything else, I trust him to come up with the solution. He can make men who could clearly rip him to shreds follow his orders." James couldn't help but perk up at the sound of pride in the girls voice.

"They only started listening to me when you started to listen to me." He reminded her. "I'm just the one who had a plan."

"It worked, didn't it?" Ahri said, smacking him on the shoulder. "That counts for something." James didn't lie, when she said that he felt really pleased. "Just don't leave again. I need you to keep me in line." She wrapped her arm around his, holding him tightly. "I guess you could say I can't do anything without you."

"That's because you lack common sense." James gave her a kiss on the cheek, getting a feeling of pleasure as a blush rapidly seeping into her cheeks. "What if I told you I keep you around for your tails?" James teased, pulling her in by the waist and running his hand along the tail.

"I would be a bit disappointed, but I'd be reduced to putty in your hands if you do that ear trick again." James did as he was asked, holding the fox girl as she laid back against the arm scratching her ears.

Kyle, on the other hand, was internally weeping over not entering the tournament when he could. Even if James was always better at games than he did, he would have found a way to win if Ahri was the final prize.

After a few more minutes, James claimed he should get going home with Ahri, seeing as it was getting late in the day. Ahri gave Kyle a goodbye kiss on the cheek, smiling seductively as the teen began gasping like a fish. Then she and James hit the road, the girl assuring the boy that his house and mother survived her wrath.

"By the way, did you shoot at me?"

"Did you give me any indication that you were friendly?"

"Take me on a date and I'll call it even."

"I don't have any money!"

"Fine. Let just sleep in the same bed from now on."

"Deal."


	6. Chapter 6

Bang bang bang!

"No fair! You have to be cheating!" Ahri exclaimed as her character dropped dead as James killed her. "How can the score be 50:1 already!?"

"Believe it little lady. I didn't win that gaming tournament by luck and begging." James and Ahri had been playing video games since James got home from school, the game turning into a one sided slaughter. "If you think halo is hard, than try playing call of duty. In halo we have sheilds, radars, easier to class weapons, and clear superiority of players that work together. There is by far more to use in this game, while in CoD is all in game money and reaction speed. My little fox, you don't stand a chance in that one."

"And I don't stand a chance in this one either." Ahri sulked as James landed the wining 60th kill in a row. "Your just too effective."

"Cheer up. You got the first kill, didn't you?" James said with a smile, ruffling up her hair.

"That doesn't count if you let me get the kill." James put his hands up, not denying it. It had been an absolute adorable moment when Ahri believed she had him beat from the start. But he only went easy so he could see her get excited, the rest he pulled magical no scopes and insanely accurate assault rifle fire. "This is why you have no friends."

"Not true." James said with mock offense. "Just wait another half hour."

"And what happens in half an hour?"

"It's Wednesday." James said matter of factly. "The gang gets together online tonight. At least those of us who can play first person shooters." There was a hint of pride in his voice as James announced it. "You have the honor of joining us if you want."

"I would love to join your small group of four or five people." Ahri said teasingly, a humorous grin on her face.

"There's actually fifteen others, by the way." James dropped casually, winning the match as Ahri did a double take. "Video games is a very popular sport, remember? It's how I got you." Ahri blushed at the end of his sentence, diverting her eyes. James had her now. The only question was, how would he use this situation to his advantage?

"Aww, is the little fox embarrassed?" James teased, getting to his feet to lean against the gaming chair in which Ahri was seated. "You freely sleep nude, but just a few words will make you blush? "

"It's not what you said." Ahri said quietly. James leaned in, trying to hear her better. "It's how you said it." James realized to late that it was a trap, getting pulled into a remarkably familiar head lock. Ahri laughed happily as she returned the favor from what James did on the first day together. "You sounded grateful there~. So you are into me."

James went limp and Ahri loosened her grip, only for the boy to spin around and tackle her out of the chair and pinning her arms to her side. "Your not the only one who likes to play these games you know." James whispered in her ear.

Ahri let out a purr as James released her, returning the hug and staring longingly into his eyes. James pulled her closer and started to pet her ears. "You know the rules. Playful actions are allowed, but no crossing that line."

"But what if I don't want to behave." Ahri said seductively. She rested her chin on the back of his shoulder, relaxing completely because James was petting her back along with her ears now. "It's been five days now. That's long enough, right?"

"I'm fine with the teasing and mild relationship." James told her. "If we dare go farther my mom will flip again."

"I've got that covered." Ahri said confidently. "She will listen to me."

"But we still need them." James reminded her. "It would be best if we don't push too far out onto thin ice." He chuckled as Ahri's head tilted from side to side, silently agreeing with him. "Want to spend another minute or two like this before we return to the game?"

"Yes please." Ahri said. They stayed in that position for another 7 minutes, finally breaking apart when James felt he was at threat of falling asleep.

James slipped on his head set as he sat down in his chair, adjusting so he had a comfortable position. Ahri plopped down gently onto his lap, resting her head in the slight dip of his shoulder. James stretched his arms around her, using her knees to prop up his controller.

"Ready for some fun?" James asked, pulling up his friends list. Sure enough, a good deal of the others were already gathered.

"Let's whip up a healthy serving of lead!" Ahri exclaimed with glee, causing a feeling of pride to swell up in James's chest. She had proceeded well from video game character to video game player.

"Hey guys, it's time for our weekly slaughter." James called over the mike, starting the Wednesday night halo.

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Ahri played well considering her general inexperience at video games. This was because she spent some time on them when James was at school, and playing against him when he was home sharply increased her proficiency as well. She wasn't as fast as him and some of the others, but her reaction time was far superior of the rest. She even made it to the top of the list once, at which she received a praise and a kiss from James.

However, the most fun she had was when the boys found out who she was and started to ask her out. James's kill count started to skyrocket as he hunted each one of them down, killing them with a blink of an eye.

"I don't know." Ahri said into James mike slyly. "This one seems to be better than all of you~." All at once the chat exploded with the voices of all of the guys, each one trying to portray themselves as the best. Both Ahri and James laughed in amusement, exchanging high fives as the mopped up the bickering men.

The gaming went up until 9:00, at which point James had to sign off to get some sleep before getting up for school the next day. Ahri was reluctant for the fun to stop, at least until James gave her a kiss good night. Then she gave in and crawled in with him, snuggling up against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her skinny form. Together they drifted asleep.

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"Hey James, wait up!" James stopped in the hallway and looked behind him. A Native American girl was jogging up to him, her bag slung over her shoulder. She had wavy black hair that sat neatly on her shoulder and a head band covering her fore head. She was in a black shirt and pants, a small collection of wrist bands on each hand. In reality, she had almost everything in her, from the German to the Jew, but she preferred her Native American heritage over the rest.

"Hey Krisha, what's up?" James asked cheerfully. "Need some more chocolate?"

"I'm good for now." The girl stated as they continued on down the hall. "What I want is to confirm a rumor that I recently learned about."

"Oh? What rumor?" James asked as he scrounged around his bag and handed her a kitkat.

"That you have a smoking hot girlfriend at your place." Krisha said off handedly, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye to judge his reaction.

James wasn't at all surprised. "Have I told you how terrifyingly effective your information gathering skills are?" He asked, a slight smirk on his face. "Yes, their is a high quality girl living with me. What do you want to know about it?"

"How did a no life like you score anything more than a nerd?" James laughed, knowing she meant it as a joke.

"Through a very painful experience. She caused me physical, financial, and mental pain for the first few days. But I could confidently say that it was worth it though." He did his best not to break stride as Krisha kicked him in the shin.

"Why didn't you tell me first!? I would have come over to greet her myself."

"Because the last thing I need her to do is become one of your evil minions." James said. Krisha took it as a compliment. "And there sums up the reason I never went out with you. Plus, first time I ever met you, you chased me for almost half an hour. To this day I'm thankful those girls warned me ahead of time."

"Oh, come on. You know I was just playing."

"That's not what the other guys you went out with said." Another kick to the shin. "Achievement unlocked, shin kicker."

"You know, why are we still friends?"

"Because this is fun for both sides and I have chocolate."

"Fair enough." They separated to their respective classes as the warning bell rang.

James sat through his classes as he usually did, pencil behind his ear and an open book in front of him. He occasionally jot down a note or two, but mainly focused on just memorizing the main ideas. It worked well for him, but his teachers didn't approve since it always appeared as if he was slacking off.

In this case, James was drawing in his note book as he stared into space during a biology class, his thoughts on the rumor currently spreading like a plague amongst the girls. And that rumor was Ahri.

 _How did they find out so fast?_ James wondered to himself. Not many people even knew that she existed yet except those who have seen her in person and his friends online. Anyone who told on the internet were probably discredited due to the far off concept. So how did so many people in school track it to him? _It just doesn't make sense._

He continued to ponder who could have told when a slight motion in his peripheral vision caught his attention. With a lazy turn of the head, James locked eyes with what caught his attention before they could turn around. The girl had short brown hair that reminded him of someone, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He didn't know her, but she looked familiar. Where could he have seen her before?

It wasn't until a minute before the bell rang did James remember her. She was the girl who had helped them at the clothing store. He got to his feet and walked over to were she was waiting with her friends and tapped her on the shoulder. The girl jumped before turning to look at him.

"Can I help you?" She tried to ask casually, trying to act like she hadn't known him before. It would have been believable if her eyes weren't constantly darting all over the place.

"No. Not really." James said, not making eye contact with anyone, just staring right past them. He had learned from experience that it tended to make people uncomfortable. "Just make sure you ask before you start spreading information about someone. It really makes it easier for us." And with that he walked away, pleased with the murmur going between the girls.


	7. Chapter 7

"Ahri." James breathed as he leaned over the girl underneath him, her clothes messy from being pushed roughly onto the bed. Ahri let out a small moan as he started to lay kisses leading up her neck, anticipating what came next. "I love you, Ahri."

"I love you too, James." Their lips locked and their legs intertwined, a burning desire pounded in Ahri's heart as she pushed her tongue into her partner's mouth, searching for his. What she got was the sound of his mother yelling and the room suddenly shaking.

"Get up, get up I say! You're going to be late for your first day!" Ahri sprung out of bed like someone had lit a fire underneath it and rolled to her feet, snatching her clothes off the ground and slipping her shirt on. "Bra too."

"Thanks Marry." Ahri said gratefully as the woman tossed her a bra. She slipped on a pair of pants and jogged to the bathroom, seizing her brush and starting on the tangled mess on her head.

"You're welcome. Breakfast is on the table with your bag." The woman walked down the hall, smiling to herself. "I put the papers you need in the bag, just in case someone causes trouble."

Ahri laughed at the last part of that comment. "You mean we're not trying to cause trouble?"

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James would give anything just to be able to turn invisible and run, but he feared even that would not save him from the headache that was sure to hit him any minute now. The day had started normal, with him waking up and slipping silently out of bed, getting dressed, and leaving the house before anyone else could know better.

But today would not be so easy. The clearly flustered teacher was having a hard time not staring at the new "transfer" student as he introduced her to the class.

"Class, I would like to introduce you to miss Ahri, who the government seems to deem fit to put in our class. Seeing as she is a foreigner, she is here to learn more about a culture. From where she came from I have not been informed, so please treat her as just another student." The teacher coughed and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Ahri, could you take a seat in the back next to James? Your tails would make it hard for the rest of the class to see."

Ahri strut to the back of the class and put her bag on the table next to James's, the look in her eye telling him that the seating arrangement hadn't been chance. Everyone in the rooms eyes followed her as she passed them, a lot of them giving her looks that James did not approve of. They turned back to the front reluctantly as the teacher started class.

"Why are you here?" James whispered, not looking away from the board as the biology teacher started up a slide show of the day's lesson.

"Government came by and found out that I was unsupervised. They were going to open fire but I stopped them with overwhelming intimidation. So now I have to go to school with you." Ahri explained with a smile.

James couldn't argue with the logic, but he still didn't want this to happen. Not many people had originally believed the rumor, but now there was no way he would get away with just the whispers and the occasional question.

The class progressed as close to normal as possible given that a extremely hot fox girl was sitting in the back of the class and was being privately tutored by her table partner every five minutes. The class took to her immediately, surrounding their table as soon as the lesson finished and a blue work sheet was passed out. James didn't react much to them except for when a guy started to hit on her, rarely stopping his work to deliver a stern word or a dark look.

"Cut them some slack, chief." Ahri told James after he scared away a rather flirty teen. "Their hardly Spartan material. You don't have to feel so threatened by their advances."

James ignored the sudden surge of jealous glares and comments as he continued on his work. "There is no respawn and rewind here. If something happens, there is no undoing it." He glanced over at her blank paper. "And you best get started on that. If your going to be so happy about attending school with me, you better do your school work." He said it firmly, but he still let her cheat off of him.

The rest of the day followed by much of the same pattern, the introduction at the front, the constant eyes throughout the lesson, and the crowd that popped into existence whenever the lesson finished. By the time lunch rolled around, James could use a break.

Lunch was separated into four different parts to accommodate the size of the school. Unfortunately for James, not only did he have C lunch, he also had math on the third floor. Each day he would wonder unnoticed to the door when the lesson ended and take off at high speeds down the hallway and stairwell and could usually make good time. At least, that's how it used to work.

When James got up and stood by the door Ahri decided to follow him, bringing along the flock of followers she had gathered for the hour. The girls had formed a ring around her to keep the guys out, but in the process they blocked the door. James said nothing, but Ahri could tell he was getting mad and broke the group up.

"Girls, we can talk about whatever later, but I want to spend some time with my boyfriend." The girls went wide eyed and let her through, opening up a path to the door. On the flip side, they began to scrutinize the teen in sweatpants and sweatshirt harder.

"Thanks for the assist." James told her, nodding his head in approval. Ahri smiled and offered her his hand, her tails wagging slightly. James pushed the hand away and shook his head, checking his watch quickly. "No. I'll need this hand for what comes next." Ahri lowered her hand, not asking questions as James got ready to run. "If you're hungry, keep up."

The bell rang and James was off like a hoarse out of the starting gate, Ahri following close behind. They broke the speed limit all the way down the hall way and and dashed down the stairs, completely jumping the last flight. At this point there were already some people from the first floor heading to lunch. James calmly blended in with the crowd and made a run for the line through the locker banks. Ahri decided to take a more flashy route and jumped over some people and bounded across the locker banks, sticking the landing next to James.

"Show off." James said, dodging around a group of people and grabbing a tray before running into the line for lunch. Today it was hotdogs.

James usually sat with only two or three people. Needless to say, when Ahri sat down with him the spots filled up as if there was a pile of money on each of the seats.

James didn't speak once during lunch, eating his food quickly before he dumped his tray. Upon return he saw his spot was taken, so he continued walking and sat down on one of the stone decorative blocks that was stationed near the end of each table. It didn't take long for Ahri to come and sit next to him.

"Annoyed yet?" The girl asked, shooing away her following. A good deal of the lunch room was looking at her, and many of the rest were spreading the word like fire. When people kept coming up to them, she grabbed James's hand and promptly began to ignore them. After that the number dropped a little.

"I will admit, I have a headache." James said, intertwining his fingers with hers. He smiled as her tails perked up along with her ears. "For a chick with so much curve appeal, you get me when you act cute."

"I know." Ahri said, leaning on him.

"Careful, the teachers are watching." He told her friendly, pushing her away. "Public displays of affection are not not really allowed around here." Ahri responded by kissing him on the lips, which was accompanied by whoops and groans, but very few awes. Sort of disappointing.

"Do I look like I care?" She said, her voice charming everyone that heard her. But not James, and he found that very pleasing.

"Did you just try to charm me?" He asked smiling at the fox.

"And if I did?" She leaned in closer, her eyes drooping as she invited him in.

"It means I'm immune to it. Don't know why, don't know how, but it definitely gives me the upper hand." To prove the point, he bopped her on the nose. With that moment, every boy around them started to blink and look around in confusion. "And it looks like their free too."

The two waited for the rest of the time for lunch, a bit more separate since Ahri understood that she didn't have control over him. Once the bell rang, they raced up the stairs laughing like a pair of hooligans as they tried to get ahead of each other on the way up. Ahri stubbed her foot on the last step, losing about a second as she stumbled. James used it to his full advantage and and sped down the hall as fast as his feet could carry him, almost making it through the door when Ahri appeared in front of him, causing him to stop in his tracks to avoid colliding with her.

"That's cheating!" Ahri just laughed at his outburst. James couldn't help but smile too, not getting mad at all by the out come.

"All's fair in love and war." Ahri said, her brilliant smile flashing.

"And which was this?" James chucked as he walked up to her, grabbing her hand.

"Well, I'll let you guess." Ahri wrapped her free arm around him and pulled his head in, kissing him on the lips. This time James kissed back, pulling her closer to him. He felt a feeling of amusement rise in his chest when her eyes widen with surprise. They held position for a few more seconds before James broke off, both of them longing to continue.

"Do I win again?" James asked teasingly as he walked back to their seats, immediately getting to work on the homework as the first students came back in the room.

"I'd say so." Ahri sat down next to him, pulling up her own paper. James raised an eyebrow as he watched her fill out the problems faster than he could. For such a ditz, she seemed to take to this subject rather well.

"I thought you were new to this." James commented as they packed up.

"The history, culture, and science are different, but you have to remember our language and math are pretty much the same." Ahri said with a shrug.

"Eh, fair enough. At least you weren't around when I had to take Spanish." Ahri gave him a confused look, and he just waved her off. "Learning a different language is hard. I studied it for a year and I still don't know the language much at all. I can speak very little, and I can't understand most of it, but I recognize enough to get my way around and read a bit of it."

The bell rang to dismiss them from class and everyone started going to their last class of the day. And for James and Ahri, that was gym class.

It took a while to explain to Ahri why she had to go to the girls locker room (somebody teach this girl sex Ed, seriously.) James let out a sigh as she walked away, hoping she took his warning about hurting anyone would get her in trouble. He was not surprised one bit when the sound of girls managed to leak through the shared wall of the locker rooms.

James stripped out of his shirt and changed into his gym one, trying to make sense of the noise coming through the wall. It didn't take a genius to figure out a lot of it was oh my god.

"What's up with them?" James turned to the left to see Kyle looking at the wall in confusion.

"Ahri happened." They both cracked a grin as they imagined just what was going to happen during this hour. "What do you recon? Unfair advantage to which ever team she is on?"

"I don't know, I'm pretty good at dodge ball." Kyle said, scratching his chin. James responded by punching him in the shoulder, the pair of them started to play fight, exchanging punches like there was no tomorrow. Only the sudden appearance of a teacher broke up their match.

"Okay meat bags, listen up!" Tank barked, calling the room into order. "There is a new girl in the class, and I expect you to treat her like you would anyone else. That does not mean touch her butt, you helpless pervs." The class laughed at the joke. The teacher was nicknamed tank after his all around athletic skills, but he was still a pretty fun guy to hang out with. "We're in gym B, let's go people!"

The boys flooded out of the room, pushing and jostling each other as they amped themselves up for another day of dodgeball. They were on the final week, and the team standings was intense. The class had about 70 people and had been divided into teams of 7. James's team was on top, seen as he and Kyle were so competitive they virtually got all the kills. They were scored on the game win, how many they hit, and how many times they got hit. Both boys had a near perfect streak.

Of course, that was until today.

When the girls came in, jaws dropped and boners rose. James was unaffected since he saw her everyday, but everyone else was completely entranced by the sight of Ahri. The girl in question noticed and enjoyed the attention, taking the long way around before sitting down on the ground next to James.

"Ground rules." James told her, doing his best to avoid all the hostile gazes that were aimed at him. "No special skills and abilities during this class. Just physical abilities."

"Understood chief." Ahri said teasingly, her ears swiveling when she heard the footsteps of the Tank when he walked in. "By the way, fair warning. Their changing your team." A mischievous glint in his eye told him he probably wasn't going to enjoy this change.

Turns out, it wasn't actually that bad. Because of safety issues, they put him on a two man team with Ahri. They were put into team 11, a completely blank team. They then set them up into their respective matches and began.

"Ahri, your goal is to hit them, not injure or kill." James said, dropping into running position. "And don't get hit."

"Understood." They waited for the teacher to blow the whistle. The gym was separated in two courts, the winning team on each court getting to face off against the next team in line.

The whistle blew and they were off, Ahri and the enemy team rushing the middle, James moving into an open space. "Ahri, take out the second left and mirror my position!" James barked, watching as she made it to the line faster than the rest of them. Ahri did as she was told, taking one of the five balls and throwing it at her target before she grabbed a second and sprung back. A loud smack sounded out as her aim proved true, nocking the poor guy to the ground. "Third right!" James called, side stepping a ball as it flew past him. Another smack and another one down. James ducked as another ball flew at his head, rushing back to grab one of the balls that had already passed over him. He passed it to Ahri and grabbed the other ball, rushing forward and chucking it as fast as he could, his rubber missile narrowly being dodged by his target only to hit a girl hiding behind him. James cringed as the force of the hit nocked the poor girl to the ground.

By the time James got another ball, Ahri had taken out three more people. James waited for the guy to dodge one of Ahri's balls before throwing at his leg, receiving a satisfying sound of rubber on leg.

"I win." Ahri said, pretending to dust of her hands.

"I'll get more next time." James told her, offering his fist. Ahri bumped it, the pair grinning like fools.

Unfortunately, James didn't get more the next game the score came to three to four. This was because Ahri nocked his ball out of the air on the last kill and scored it for herself, at which point they began to chuck the balls at each other, both showing off their skills with Ahri doing her acrobatic supremacy and James extremely fast and accurate throws. They were stopped by the teachers when they were getting out of control when a stray ball managed to put the Tank on the ground.

By the end of the class, Ahri and James had become the most efficient team out of the entire class, and because the two were competing against each other as hard as they could, each of their matches didn't last more than a minute. The class was lead back to the locker rooms where they changed and waited for the bell.

For once in his life, James knew what it felt like to be royalty. They had jumped from the bottom of the standings right to the top, and all the opponents they had faced had been flawlessly defeated without scoring a single hit.

 _I have won a lot of respect today_. James thought to himself as he watched the seconds tick by on the clock.

The bell rang and he was the first one out of the door, jogging down the hallway to meet Ahri as she exited the locker room. After extracting her from a group of girls, they walked down the hall to the main entrance. Normally James would take the bus, but his mom was going to come pick him and Ahri up from now on.

James opened up the car door for Ahri before taking the front seat. "So how was the first day?"

"It was hell." James said, leaning back in his eat and looking at Ahri in the mirror. "But my policy is feet first into hell, and I'm pretty sure we will gladly go again."

"I'll agree with that." Ahri said, saluting. "School is nothing for ODST's." The pair laughed as Marry rolled her eyes, already looking forward to tomorrow.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, I promised to make a character description since I forgot to originally.**

 **Name: James**

 **Age: 17**

 **Height: 6'1**

 **Weight: 182 ib.**

 **Skin color: your average white guy gamer**

 **Hair: short light brown**

 **Eye color: jade**

 **Outfit preferences:**

 **Tee shirt**

 **Sweatshirt**

 **Sweatpants**

 **Shorts**

 **Home: Minnesota**

 **Current time: winter, middle of December (I am planning on some Christmas antics)**

 **Special skills: winning. Tends to move on to something else when no one else can perform as well as he does, so if it's a game, he probably could win.**

 **Really clever when it comes to getting around something he doesn't want to do.**

 **High hand eye dexterity due to his overwhelming skills with a controller and shooting contests with Kyle using BB guns.**

 **Weaknesses: uncomfortable in an unfamiliar area**

 **Tends to panic when things start going south, becoming less coordinated.**

 **Job: Walmart (welcome to hell, life is great here. Pull up chair, have a cold beer)- I have indeed played minecraft at one point of time if you recognize the song.**

 **Well, that should be everything. Now on to the story!**

hardly a few days had passed since Ahri joined James in school, and the publicity had died down in the school a bit as they got used to her presence. However, the opposite was happening out in the world. It was no surprise since most of the teens in school had snapchat or whatever social media they used, and the image of the nine tailed fox spread across the internet like fire. Just three days after she stepped into the school, the news was pulling up in front of their house. Under James support, Ahri had an interview with a fox 9 news caster.

"The more people who like you, the more that are willing to let you stay in this world." James had told her. "If you have a majority of the public know about you and accept it, the less likely anyone is going to pull something." He conveniently forgot to mention it would also raise her value for kidnapping.

Things only got dangerous when the woman asked her age, at which James stepped in and told her off for asking a girl her age. Little did the woman know that James just saved her from some kind of injury.

Ever since that day the house received constant phone calls from news stations, television companies, and the "adult industries". James didn't even need to tell Ahri to turn those down, which surprised him since she had such a sexual tendency to begin with. When questioned, she merely smiled and walked away.

"Well if you're going to play this game, I might as well play to." James told her, confident that he could tease a confession out of her before she could get one out of him.

"Good luck with that." James almost jumped when he heard his mom from behind him. "Mind games are a woman's natural playing field."

"Just means I'll have fun." James replied with a devilish grin. "It's always more fun when I'm on square one."

"Not even you could become a professional sweet talker in a day." Marry shook her head, betting against him. "No matter how good you are at learning quickly."

"I wouldn't put your money on the table yet." James said. His mom clicked her tongue and went back to the her seat in front of the TV. James hadn't told anyone, but he had secretly been studying on the Internet on the art of romance and had started to ask some of his female friends for help. They had been willing to help because they knew him well enough he wasn't just going to seduce her to get her into his bed (a few minutes with Ahri told them he could do that whenever he wanted, but still he hadn't touched her.)

200 or so fanfictions later and a few hours with Krisha, James felt pretty good that he could out speak just about anyone if he put his mind to it. From a video gamer, to a battlefield commander, and now to a sweet talker. So many changes, so little time. So little sleep.

James entered his room and found Ahri in front of his computer, looking through his browser history. "You've been working hard." She said, not looking away from the screen. She was slowly going through the list of fanfics he had read, a mischievous grin played on her lips. "So you've spent each night sneaking out of bed and leaving little old me to shiver in the cold to read smut on other girls?"

"Well, as you can see," James said, walking over and taking the mouse and scrolling through the list. Ahri let him do whatever and waited for his answer. With a few deft motions, however, he deleted the browser history. "There's nothing here." He smiled pleasantly at her face of surprise, quickly giving her a peck on the head.

"That's cheating!" She exclaimed, having a hard time keeping a smile off her face. He chuckled at her reaction, pleased at the outcome. Ever since Ahri started to only consider him, it had become a game between them to make the other one give up and confess first.

"All fair in love and war." James walked around her and threw himself onto the bed, rolling in the air to land on his back. The bed swayed beneath him, reminding him of a hammock.

"I'm willing to bet I can win at both now." James narrowly caught the controller that Ahri threw at him, quickly switching it on and signing in. He checked his battery and set a fresh pair next to him.

"Getting a bit high on yourself now, huh?" James said jokingly, expertly firing up halo with superhuman speed. "Let's see how you have improved, little one."

The answer to if she had improved was yes, but nowhere enough to take down a professional. James found it awfully adorable whenever she got a kill because her ears would twitch ever so slightly. Her tails also wrapped around her shoulders and cushion her head, so when the ears twitched she literally began to tickle herself with the end of her tails.

"So, I was thinking of meeting up with some friends tomorrow." Ahri said after another fight between her tails and her ears. "Is it okay if I come home a bit late?"

"Yeah, that's fine." James said, not getting distracted as he dispatched one of the enemy players. "When are we meeting them?"

"That's the thing. This would be a, how should I say it, a girls outing." James looked away from the screen right after a sniper round was sent through his head. Ahri was in the middle of a fire fight herself, so her attention was still focused on the screen. "They told me no boys allowed. Is it still ok?"

James hesitated for a second before answering. "I guess it's fine. Just be home before dinner." They returned their full attention to their game just as their team won by a land slide.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

James was packing up his bag at the end of the school day when Ahri departed to hang out with her friends. He waved as she left, shouldering her bag along with his own. "Have fun, and make sure there are no witnesses!" He called as she reached the door, getting a laugh out of her as she waved back.

James hung around for a minute or two to chat with Kyle before he boarded the bus to go home. Once, he found himself turning to Ahri to point out something interesting on the way home when he remembered that for the first time in the last few days that she wasn't with him. It felt weird, but it also felt a bit nostalgic.

 _I forgot what it's like to be alone._ James thought to himself, stretching his back as if a heavy weight had been removed from his shoulders. He then slumped again as he shifted Ahri's bag onto his back as he got off the bus. _To be honest, I didn't miss this too badly._

He walked down the street to his house and opened the door, calling out a greeting as he dropped the bags at the base of the stairs. His mom called back from the living room, greeting him in a friendly manner. That wasn't going to last long though.

"Ahri won't be home for awhile. She is meeting with a few friends." He sensed a shift in his mothers position as he walked past. "She has my phone, so we can still contact her." He kept his voice even, not letting her catch on that he could tell he was treading on dangerous ground.

"Are you sure it's wise to be without her? What if someone tries to grab her?" James took note of the edge in her voice, adjusting his speech appropriately.

"If someone tries to grab her, I'll only get in the way." James stated calmly. "She literally spent most of her time on the battlefield for a good part of her life. Besides, their going to be in public. The more eyes on her, the safer she is." He left the room before she could scrape up an argument to prove him wrong, heading to his room and putting the bags on the desk. He then pulled out his homework and started to finish up what he didn't complete in school. He had to keep reminding himself to not turn around out of suspicion from a silent fox.

After he finished he stashed his papers in his bag and switched on his computer, thinking he could probably get done a game of LOL (my favorite abbreviation of league of legends) before Ahri called for a ride. Off a whim, he chose Ahri to be his champion and constantly laughed to himself while thinking it was great that she listened to him. He then thought about it and realized that she rarely didn't listen to him unless she was actively causing him trouble (which happened quite often.)

As the fight dragged on, he got increasingly frustrated that the Ahri in game wasn't moving as effectively as he wished. He found himself trying to order her to pull of moves that weren't possible in game, such as evasive moves that Ahri pulled when he shot at her. He just couldn't pull off those pin point moves with a mouse and keyboard that she could easily pull off on him.

In the end they won the battle, but James was starting to miss his foxy companion. He even did something rather unusual of himself and did laundry, making sure to grab her red dress. She hadn't worn it since she got normal clothes, but James secretly liked the sight of her in it. He'd never tell her though, or else she would have an upper hand on him.

He had just switched the clothes to the dryer when his mom called him from upstairs, her voice unusual sharp.

"What's wrong?" James said, jogging up the stairs. His mom just handed him her phone, crossing her arms in a manner that said I told you so.

SOS. That's all the text said. James reread the three letters five times before he shot back a text. Where?

the minute and a half it took for the her next message to appear were the longest moments of his life. When he heard the ping, it took him less than a second to read the words before he ran out the door, throwing the devise on the couch as he passed.

 **To be continued...**

 **Hey guys, it's the author. This story is by far the fastest growing story I have wrote, and it makes me proud so many of you enjoy my work. Next chapter will be an important one, where they step out of the playful friends and into new territory. Note, I won't be adding a lemon till the end because I prefer to do this properly but I will stay with Ahri's nature as best as I could tell.**


	9. Chapter 9

James pulled up in the school parking lot with reckless speed, almost crashing the car into one of the signs in the parking lot. He yanked the keys out of the ignition and opened the door forcefully, only stoping to check he had his pocket knife.

"Ahri!" James yelled out as he slammed the door. He ran up to the building and started to yank on the door, kicking it with frustration when it wouldn't budge. "Damb it. Ahri!" He took of at a run around the building, desperately trying every door he could find. He had almost completed a whole lap of the building and was leaning against the concrete wall that surrounded the dumpster to catch his breath.

"Maybe... If I... Climb to the roof..." James looked up at the looming tower that was the side of the school and immediately gave up on the idea. He was more likely to fall and die than find the girl. "I have to wonder how she got in there."

James was trying to think of another way inside when a slight sound stopped him in his tracks. He dropped into a stealthy position and focused on his sense hearing, mixed feelings coming to life as he searched for it again. Sure enough, he could hear the sound of soft crying coming from the other side of the wall.

"Ahri?" James slowly peaked around the corner, not entirely sure on what he would find. What he found was slightly better than what he expected.

Ahri was curled into a ball behind the dumpster, only her feet poking out. She had no apparent injuries, but her face was soaked from tears. She had James sweatshirt wrapped around her, but she must have been there for a while since she was shivering nonstop. Her ears and tails were drooped with sadness, hanging limp like dead leaves on a tree. Her face was hidden in her arms and ever so often a quite sob would escape her grasp.

"Ahri, what happened?" James asked as he approached, only to jump back when a wall of fox fires bursted into existence between them.

"Stay back!" Ahri cried, throwing her hand out as if to hold up the wall. "You're just another one of them, aren't you!?"

"Ahri, what are you talking about? You called for help and here I am." He tried to reach through a gap in the wall, only to pull back in fear when the fires started to move around at a decent speed, blocking off all openings.

"They treated me like an object. That's all they saw me as." Ahri muttered darkly from her arms, still not raising her head. "That's why you keep me around, isn't it? I have caused you countless problems but you put up with it. All because I'm a rare item." Her sobs became more frequent, becoming more powerful the longer they went on. She got to the point of heaving at each sob, the weight of her depression pulling at each breath.

Then a hand rested on her shoulder, causing her to freeze with shock. For the first time in what felt like forever, she raised her head to look into the sad eyes of a slightly singed James, kneeling next to the fox girl with a look of a sad pain on his face. "If I really thought that way, why did I let you go out with those whose were thought to be your friends?"

"How did you get through my fires?" Ahri asked, looking over his clothing which was full of blackened holes.

"You told me a while back that your flames responded to your will." James said gently, moving his hand away from her shoulder and instead grabbing her hand. "You would never mean to hurt me." Ahri's eyes closed partly as fresh tears formed, her control over her emotions fully falling to pieces. James pulled her in and hugged her, wrapping his jacket around both of them.

Ahri didn't push him away this time, instead she burrowed her head into his shoulder and let it loose, cry harder than she had cried in a really long time. "It's okay, little one. I'm here." James told her soothingly, using the arm that wasn't wrapped around her waist and started to pet the back of her head. "I'm here little one." Ahri didn't respond and continued on with her crying.

It was a good twenty minutes or so before the last tear was shed and the last sob to get caught in her throat. Ahri fell into an exhausted state in James arms, fighting to stay conscious. "Im sorry." She managed to say, her grip on his shoulder notably slackening from the effort to say so few words.

"For what?" James asked cradling her in his jacket. "You did nothing wrong." He was surprised when Ahri began to shake weakly from a laugh.

"For doubting... You." James didn't even have to look down to know she had just fallen asleep.

"That's where your wrong, little one." James whispered quietly, unzipping the jacket and adjusting his hold on her so he was carrying her bridal style. "I learned a long time ago not to trust people. It's only an idiots habit to ignore that rule." He gently carried her back to the car, buckling her into the passengers seat. After he made sure she was secured, he went back and picked up his phone from on the ground where Ahri had left it. He quickly checked it to find that Ahri had been looking at a picture of him before he had shown up. It was a picture of him asleep, his arm wrapped around the fox girl as she held out the phone to get them both in the frame. James pocketed the phone and return to the car.

James drove slower this time, obeying the traffic laws that he had skipped out on his last reckless charge to the school. Ahri didn't wake up once, dozing all the way up the drive way. She stired slightly when he pulled her out, only to cuddle up against him unconsciously. James knocked on the door with his foot, silencing his worried mom with a quick shh before he passed her and took Ahri upstairs. He laid her down in their bed and pulled all the covers over her, tucking them under the mattress to trap in as much heat as possible. After she was set, James knelt by the bed and rest his head on the mattress next to her and watched her as she slept, racking his brain for a way to fix her problems. He eventually dozed of an hour later, no closer to an answer than when he started.

James awoke from a touch on the hand, his head snapping up so fast there was a loud pop and he had to set it back down from a burning pain at the base of his skull. "You shouldn't hurt yourself now. I'll feel sad again." James raised his head when he heard the humor in her voice, the pain suddenly bearable.

"Welcome back, little one." James said, a smile spreading across his lips. "You had me worried for a while there."

Ahri giggled, a gentle smile of her own greeting him. "I don't know why, but you remind me of a father when you call me that."

"Maybe because I save it for kids who I care about." James said, kissing her on the nose. "Maybe if you stopped needing my help so often I'll call you by your name again." He chuckled as Ahri playfully batted at him.

"So you really do care about me." Ahri said, her playful burst slipping into a comfortable drowsy. It occurred to James that she had just woke up also.

"Of course I do, little one." James said, resting his head back on the bed. "I care about you as if we were family." Ahri seemed to be pleased by his words, her ear twitching ever so slightly.

"Stop just lying there, come join me." Ahri said, lifting the cover to invite him in. "I'm still cold." James knew the last part wasn't true, but he still crawled under the cover and pulled her in for a hug. Ahri hummed in pleasure, creating a cute little tune as she went on for a few seconds. She then whispered in his ear, her pleasant tone soothing his ears. "Say it for me, just once." She rested her head against his chest, one arm on top of the covers and the other under James.

"Say what?" James asked, fully aware of what she wanted. He felt her tails shift under the covers, resting behind him.

"You already know the answer, James." She said it so earnestly, James knew she was no longer playing around with him. And who was he to deny her something that he himself wanted to tell her desperately?

"I love you Ahri." James said, laying his free arm across he waist and rested his head on her shoulder, affection seeping into his every action.

"I love you too James."


	10. Chapter 10

"Hello again."

"Holy shit, where did you come from!?" James allowed himself a feeling of pleasure as the group of girls he had snuck up on jumped out of their skin.

"Oh, you know, just your nightmares." James said evilly, making sure to look at the tall blonde who was obviously the head of the group. "You know, I wouldn't have known it was you four if you didn't have such a shocked look on your face when you saw Ahri again at school." The girls shivered at the dark look he fixed on them, his anger flowing off of him in waves.

"I don't know what your talking about." A short girl with her hair in a ponytail said in a snobby voice, trying to act confident. James walked right up to her personal space and leaned forward, glaring down on her.

"If you didn't, why did you flinch?" James hand shot up next to her ear and he snapped his fingers, the girl scrambling way from him. James straitened and casted a glazed look onto the rest of them, focusing on each of them as if they were a target he was shooting at. "Let's get back to the point. I know what you did, and I strain to tell you to never do it again. The only reason Ahri didn't burn you alive is because she was still confused over you being her so called friends. You wouldn't be the first to loose their lives to her."

"Th-That's a load of bull." The blonde stammered. "You think of her as a trophy, and your still alive." Her jaw snapped shut as James focused all his attention on her, her throat tightening with fear as a menacing vibe wafted off of him, his steps counting as if marking how long she had till the reaper himself came for her.

James stopped right outside of striking range of the girl, keeping his gaze on her eyes as if to stare into her soul. "Don't you dare insult me like that again. There is a reason Ahri listens to me, and that's because I care for her. But you went and made her cry. So I came to give you fair warning. Cross me again, and it will not end well." He paused to let it sink in the turned and left.

"You know, you can be awfully cruel when your mad." James wasn't surprised it find Ahri waiting for him around the corner. She must have been eavesdropping on James attempt to scare the shit out of her "friends".

"Only the best for you, dear." He said jokingly, flashing her a grin. They walked to class holding hands, fully aware of all the looks they were getting. Ahri's tails were waving in the air proudly again, no longer drooping in doubt and sadness. James never again wished to see such a sight like the one behind the dumpster again.

Apparently word had spread about James verbal abuse to the girls, fore people began to give him larger berth in the hallway and a few became skittish when he looked in their direction when they were talking with Ahri. They quickly realized he wasn't going to bite them, though, and went back to chatting loudly with the fox girl like they usually do. One good outcome was that less guys openly hit on her, and for that he had less of a reason to chase them away.

Halfway through the day James got a note telling him to come to the office. He left without a word, flashing the slip to the teacher on his way out. He walked down the hall and waited in the office lobby like a good little boy, obediently following the man who came and fetched him.

"Do you know why I called you here?" The councilor asked, taking a seat behind the desk. James sat silently, crossing his legs and nodding his head. The man was clearly annoyed by his silence but held it in well. "Why did you threaten this girls?"

"I wouldn't call it threatening them." James said coolly, putting his hands together in front of him. His actions put him a position that gave him power, raising the probability of his words having an impact. It also made him look like an asshole. "They made the unwise discussion of hurting my girlfriend, who happens to be the strongest warrior on the planet by my reckons. She did come from another dimension if you remember." The councilor's lips tightened and James figured he was well aware of Ahri. "Anyway, I warned them that there was only two reasons Ahri didn't kill them. One, I would have gotten mad and she respects me. The other was because she still thought of them as friends at the time."

"What makes you think you have the right to tell them something like that?" The councilor asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"The right of a decent human being." James replied, his timing perfect. "Or would you rather have a few corpses in your school? I saved their lives. I intimidated them to leave Ahri alone because I'm protective, maybe, but I still gave them a chance to live."

The councilor was silent for a moment, trying to come up with an argument. James didn't let him. "They came and reported me because they felt threatened. We both know this already. But you people at the top think that they meant physically, but those of us at the bottom know these girls have everything for their publicity. They are using you to make an example out of me. Remember the Salem witch hunt? We read the crucible earlier in the year so you will understand what I'm going to say. Women are vicious. They will use the weak of minded to fulfill their goals, manipulating those who have power to get their way. In this case, I got in the way of their high horse and they are trying to remove me."

The man behind the desk paused for a moment, then sighed and waved his hand. "I've noted your points. By what you have told me, it makes a lot of sense, but you have to understand no one else is going to listen through your whole argument. The only thing I can do is lessen your punishment."

James nodded. "I knew that ever since I left the classroom. I have to agree, since there will be more trouble if you don't." He let out a breath, stretching and cracking his back. "To be perfectly honest, all that intimidating stuff is awfully hard to pull off. It's just not what I do. That's video games."

"You would never have figured that from the camera footage." The councilor noted, pulling up the video on his computer.

"You think so? I thought it was pretty weak." James said, leaning forward to see the video. "Back in middle school, I was often picked on. I just tried to copy what my abusers did." Sure enough, James was rather intimidating on the video. "I guess I did it a little too well." He shuddered as he remembered when there was a group of people who did that to him. He was suddenly very grateful that he had gone through this painful growth spurts.

"For now, we'll say I gave you a stern warning." James snapped out of his thought and saw the councilor flash him a smile. "I believe you have learned from your actions." James didn't have a comeback, but a smile of his own formed on his lips as he realized he had made himself a powerful ally. "Just do me a favor and look after the fox for me, will you?"

"We protect each other." James replied, shaking hands with the man. "May I have your name?"

"Baker. William Baker." They shook hands ones more and James was sent back to class, briefly being informed that his parents would be called out of protocol.

James return to his seat next to Ahri, slinging his bag over his shoulder and waiting the last few minutes for the bell to ring and dismiss them for the last period. "What was that all about?" Ahri asked, looking him over.

"A disciplinary meeting." James said flatly, then giving her a wily grin. "I got in trouble keeping the people who masqueraded as your friend alive."

"It's not like I would actually kill them." Ahri wined playfully. "Maybe maim them, but not kill them."

"You truly are scary, you know that right?" James said, bumping her shoulder with his fist. "I had to put a lot of effort to put up intimidation, but you are a stone cold monster." He poked her in the nose, making sure she knew he was joking. She nipped him.

"Only the best for you, dear." Ahri quoted him, a sneaky smile on her face.

"Can we agree just to leave his whole fiasco behind us, please?" James asked, getting out of his chair as the bell rang.

"That's fine by me. I like the quite days we have." Ahri told him happily. "It's been so long since I had a vacation like this." James agreed with her, remembering that she was used to fighting at the institution. A school life was probably a refreshing break for her.

"Do you ever miss it though?" James asked as they rounded a corner, almost bumping into another guy.

"I guess. I had a friend or two on the other side." Ahri opened the door to her locker room. "I'll see you on the court." The door shut and James moved on.

When James walked into the guys locker room, there was a slight stir amongst those who where changing. A few shied away and he let out an exasperated sigh. "I know you heard the rumor of me being a big scary monster. You should know the girls that I was scaring made Ahri cry." The atmosphere of the room immediately changed from discomfort to rage, followed by the sound of fists on metal as the fox girls fans started to swear vengeance. _And so rises my army_. James thought to himself, already sensing the change in the battlefield. _Do your worst, girls. Not many people in this school aren't fond of Ahri, and you just pissed off the wrong crowd._ James supplied the details of the people who dared make Ahri cry to the rebellion, satisfied that he didn't have to lift a finger to clear his name. _You know, maybe I am evil._

Apparently Ahri had been acting along the same line of thought in the locker room, cause when the girls joined them not a single one seemed to look at him distrustingly. James was almost disappointed that the girls who were the target of anger weren't in the class, but the last part of him hoped that they would be okay.

The dodge ball matches were coming to an end, James and Ahri dominating the top of the list as always. James got hit once, so they didn't have a perfect score, but they were tied when it came for who got the most hits. When they were making their way back to the locker rooms, Ahri over heard the teachers planing on having the whole class verses the two of them and informed James, at which they both shared a laugh and joked about it being their very first fair game.

James's mom came and picked them up after school, giving her son a dirty look as he entered the car. James sighed and resigned himself for his next match. The only difference was Ahri was his partner this time, and they never lost a game.


	11. Chapter 11

"James, wake up." A female voice called out to the sleeping teen, cleanly carving his dream in half. He felt a far off hand shaking him and he swatted at it. The hand returned fire. "Come on, we're late for school."

"Let me sleep." James protested, pushing his conscious just under waking up to deliver his message before sinking back into a slumber as quickly as possible. Ahri crossed her arms as she stood over the teen, her ears twitching irritably. She tapped her arm a few times while she debated what to do before an idea came to mind.

Slowly, deliberately, she lowered herself down on the bed next to him. She her arms around him gently and pulled herself closer, letting her breath dampen the back of his neck. She then slip her head onto his shoulder, resting the side of hers on top of his. The teen let out a hum in his sleep, indicating to her that he was pleased. She smiled as she thought of what she was going to do next.

"WAKE UP!" Ahri yelled, her arms shooting up from around his body and tightly closing on his neck as she arched her back. James's eyes shot open as he suddenly found himself in a chokehold, then a sense of vertigo came over him as Ahri rolled and threw him off the bed. He slammed heavily onto the ground, a dull pain building in his back as he slid on the carpeted floor.

"That hurt." James whined as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head. The skin had heated slightly from his slide. "What was that for?"

"We overslept by almost three hours!" Ahri exclaimed, hopping off of the bed. She was already fully dressed, even already having socks on and her shoes sitting next to the bed. "I know the snow is starting to melt, but that doesn't mean you can sleep in."

"I honestly don't know what your talking about." James said. He got to his feet groggily and picked up her shoes, yawning as he walked out the door. "If your referring to spring making me lazy, I'll point out right now I don't wake up early normally."

"It's not by fault you forgot to set your clock." Ahri said indignantly. She snatched her shoes from him and shoved his bag into his arms as she passed. "And don't expect to get food. Your going to have to drive us to school."

"Oh well, good for you." James said tiredly as he dropped his bag on the couch, passing the fox girl down the stairs and into the kitchen. "I'm not going to school."

"And why not?" Ahri demanded, spirit rushing to block the kitchen doorway, standing as tall as she could with her hands on her hips.

James wasn't fazed and walked right up to her, looking down at her as she stared defiantly into his eye. He sighed and lowered himself, wrapping his arms around her and picking her up. He pivoted and set her down again, kissing her on the lips before letting go. "It's spring break, little one. We have a whole week of sleep, playing, and relaxing." He ruffled up her hair and turned his back, heading into the kitchen and pulling out bowls and cereal. "I now officially have nothing I have to do till I go to work!" James said, extending his arms as if he was imparting great wisdom on someone else.

Ahri blushed out of embarrassment, her mind racing for a way to brush off he actions coolly. James didn't really seem to care, just served her breakfast like nothing happened. The pair ate silently for a time, Ahri still thinking before she decided that she would apologize instead of come up with something witty.

"Sorry." She said between mouthfuls. James shrugged and poured himself another bowl of food, passing her the box of frootloops when he was done.

"Doesn't really bother me since it was you." James said as he raised his spoon to his mouth. "Everyone makes mistakes every now and then." James words made Ahri feel a little better, the awkward mood in the room evaporating as the couple ate their breakfast.

Ahri was putting the dishes in the sink when James pointed out something on her face. "Is it just me, or does my little fox have whiskers?" The amusement in his voice told her that he was teasing her so she raised one hand to her face expecting to find milk, assuming that was what he meant. What her hand felt, however, were actually whiskers.

"Don't look!" Ahri exclaimed, quickly putting the bowls in the sink and covering her face. She tried to rush past him out of the room but James caught her and pulled her in a hug, his eyes diverted politely. His other arm reached up and pat her head gently.

"You don't have to fear me, Ahri." James said friendly. "You need essence, don't you?" He asked knowingly, loosening his grip so she could look at him. She didn't remove her face from his shirt but she nodded her head. James sighed and held her out, forcing her to look at him. "I'm not dating you for your looks Ahri."

"No, you date me for the tails." They both cracked a smile at the joke.

"Not entirely, but they definitely appeal to me." James admitted. "I just think their soft, warm, and remind me of... Never mind. Any way I love you because you are you. I don't take you as a really sexy body, I take you as the fun girl who likes to play games and enjoys spending time with me. I like your playful nature, your witty attitude, your gentle tendencies to those you care about, and fine, I'll add tails to the list."

Ahri blushed at the unusual long list of things he liked about her. Normally the list would only contain her tits and ass, but she liked his version better.

"Would you mind if I..." She trailed off, not entirely wanting to voice her question.

"Just a little, little one." James said gently, mentally preparing himself for pain.

Ahri paused for a moment, then rushed forward and planted her lips on his. She kissed him deep, trying to convey how sorry she was as she began to tap into his life force. A warm feeling rushed into her, spreading throughout her body like wildfire. It was better than she had expected, the feeling of his life resonated with her much better than anyone she had ever taken from before.

A weak hand on her shoulder broke her out of her pleasure, bring the memory of who she was harvesting essence from back to her mind. She cut off the flow quickly, separating her lips from his also. James sagged against the wall and sat down, suddenly very tired.

"I told you a little, didn't I?" James panted. Ahri sat down next to him, hanging her head. The whiskers weren't on her face anymore.

"Sorry." Ahri apologized, guiltily remembering how good he felt. "I guess I got carried away."

James forgave her, grabbing her hand and putting it on his thigh. "It's fine. When was the last time you fed?"

"Last week, Wednesday." Ahri replied, then added quickly. "I don't actually need to touch someone to take their essence, just be near them. I've been taking a small amount from people at school to stay unnoticed." James inclined his head, seeing logic in her actions. "We definitely need to kiss like that more often though." Ahri said seductively. James squeezed her hand, thought she didn't exactly know how to interpret the action.

"We'll see about that after I recover a bit. Can you get me my sweatshirt? I'm suddenly cold." Ahri smiled, pulling him to his feet.

"You'll be fine in a short time." She said, hugging him and wrapping her tails around him. "Until then I'll keep you warm myself." James chuckled and hugged her back before she took his hand and led him upstairs to the living room, sitting down on the couch and grabbing the remote. Because he needed to warm up, James surved as her chair as she began to flip through the channels. He soon drifted to sleep, however, due to the lack of energy.

Ahri was concerned originally, but since his heartbeat was rhythmically pushed on her back and his breathing was normal her worries soon vanished. She still felt guilty, however, since she had almost made it a month without causing him a problem. So she grabbed a pencil and paper and quickly scribbled down a note before folding it into a paper airplane. She infused the plane with her magic so that it would fly until it made it to her target. The air next to her began to shimmer, turning a dark blue. Ahri threw the plain through and the rift disappeared, it's job done.

"I hope you like Runeterra." Ahri whispered, brushing the hair out of her boyfriend's eyes as he slumbered, his peaceful look unaware of what the fox girl on his lap had done.


	12. Chapter 12

James walked through the front door with an ache in his back and a smile on his face. He would probably get in trouble for climbing the shelves in the gardening section to get some goods for a customer, but on the flip side he was a popular worker in the gardening section. The guy who drove the forklift had even came up to him at the end of the day to tell him he felt like he'd be put out of a job if he kept it up. It was a joke, but when they had raced James was indeed faster at getting the item.

So now James was rather pleased with himself. He didn't share a word about it to his parents, but he silently relished it when his radio told him to go fetch something high up. It gave him hope he wasn't going to get in trouble. Plus it was just downright fun to do.

"I'm home!" James called out from the hallway, slipping off his shoes and leaving by the door. His mom's head popped up from on the couch and looked over the banister from the living room.

"Welcome back." She said as her son started up the stairs. Her voice was scratchy and tired, her face a bit redder than usual. "Can you fetch me some cough drops from the medicine cabinet?"

"Sure." The teen back tracked to the kitchen and grabbed the little red bag of Hals out of the medicine cabinet and brought him to his mom. "She cause any trouble today?" He asked.

His mom popped one of the little red pieces into her mouth and shook her head. "She's been rather quite all day." She rasped, shifting her body under her blanket. "When I checked on her earlier she was reading a book."

"Okay. I'll check up on her." His mother turned her attention back to the TV and the conversation ended.

James entered his room and found Ahri laid out on his bed, a book resting on the head board. She turned her head and acknowledged him before returning to her book. What James didn't see, however, was the sly smile on her face as she put her head back in the book.

 _Sona should be done on her side soon._ Ahri thought to herself gleefully. She knew that James would resist to what she was planning on doing, but she couldn't help it. _This is one surprise that won't nearly get you killed this time, I promise._ She remembered the time when she tried to surprise him by cooking breakfast, only to be sent to the hospital because she greased the frying pan with Lysol instead of cooking oil. She promised herself not to screw up like that again.

Ahri continued to read her book while James took a seat at his computer. She glanced in his direction to find out what he was doing, only to be surprised as he just sat in front of the screen, bobbing his head side to side as he listened to a song on his phone. That could be a problem for her perfect plan.

"Hey, whatcha listening to?" Ahri asked, walking up behind him and looking at his screen. There was a YouTube video playing with a still picture of Sona and constantly changing blue text. James noticed her and pulled his earbuds out.

"Oh, this? It a music video I found on the internet. It's absolutely beautiful, and I think it covers Sona pretty well. Want to hear?" He asked, holding out an earbud. Ahri took and rolled it in her hand before sticking it in her ear. James restarted the song for her, leaning back in his chair and putting the phone on the arm rest so they both could see.

 _"Lost and cold, abandoned at the doorstep of a dark and lonely inn._

 _Without a voice, mute and only able to communicate with strings._

 _Growing up, my only lullaby was locked in an etwahl_

 _Sumoner, choose me as your hand and I will play my music for all._

 _Harming foes and healing allies with my mirthful arias,_

 _Everything and everyone will bow down to my song._

 _I will play a concert for you worthy of the league._

 _Hear my Crescendo and I will have you dancing into the night._

 _I don't need a voice to speak, I just need my symphony._

 _All I need is my etwahl to play a hymn that'll sing my heart..."_

The music went on. Indeed, the singer was very talented and not only had a beautiful voice but captured Sona well in her lyrics. The only thing that would make it even more perfect was if she sang with Sona herself. Ahri pointed out her idea to James and he just shook his head.

"The only thing I know about this girl is her videos. I doubt I could convince her that we can get the real Sona to play with her, even if we knew of a way to get you home." Just then another song sounded through the room, one that James knew well. It was silent night, one of his favorite Christmas songs. Ahri recognized it too, but while James was frozen in place in surprise, she was internally face palming.

"About going home..." Ahri said hesitantly as the music grew loudly. James turned his chair around to look at the source of the song. The melody was unusually clear and sharp, while also being smooth and free flowing. The air before them started to shimmer as if it was just above the street during a heat wave. James's eyes widened as a girl dressed in red with an unusual instrument floating in front of her slowly walked out of the rift, her red gloved hands playing the strings as she walked. She had her eyes closed and a soft smile on her face as she enjoyed the sounds she was making, her blue hair floating freely behind her red cap on her head. A single Christmas wreath hung on the front of her etwahl. "That was not really ever a problem." Ahri admitted, her hand pressed to her forehead. "Christmas passed a while ago, Sona. You got the timing wrong."

The maven of the strings continued playing the song, finishing with one clear, lasting note before she looked up at them. Her smile widened into a foolish grin as she rubbed the back of her head. She played a few notes that seamed to laugh for her.

James looked between the two girls, his shock and surprise long gone due to the soothing melodies that Sona was now playing. Ahri muttered something about her showing off before she returned to James, an amused smile on her face. "So how do you like the real Sona's music?" She asked, Sona backing up the question with a thrum of her strings that seemed to copy the question.

"Are you sure she's mute? She seems to be able to speak well enough with her strings." A pleasant, happy melody. "See? She agrees with me."

Ahri glanced at her friend and she nodded happily, pleased that someone understood her. "He's mine, hands off." Another melody, this one playful and mischievous.

"She says no promises." James said, this time a grin crossing his face as he enjoyed the playful banter of the two friends. "Looks like you might have competition Ahri~" James teased her, poking her in the side.

"Oh, don't start." Ahri said with a slight laugh, pushing away the hand that was poking her in her ticklish spots. "Didn't you get all jealous and territorial when I first arrived?" James said nothing. He grabbed her hand and rubbed the back lovingly. Sona sighed in happiness for her friend, playing a reassuring tune that turned to a questioning one as she looked behind her at the shimmering space in the air. Ahri understood this one, also glancing at the rift. She then looked back at James and raised an eyebrow.

James looked at the rift and then at Ahri, holding her gaze for a few seconds. His eyes then drifting to the door and his mind drifted to the living room. He then let out a sigh and got to his feet, holding up his free hand as Ahri's eyes brightened and she took a step towards the rift. "I'll go, but let me tell mom first. Expect to explain yourself when you get home." He released her hand and walked out the door, closing it behind him.

Sona raised an eyebrow at Ahri and played three questioning notes. Ahri just shook her head and waited patiently for her boyfriend's return. It took a few minutes until James returned, a slight sweat on his brow.

"We can go, but we should come home before dinner." He informed them, closing the door behind him.

"She go scary again?" Ahri asked, noting the dampness on his skin. James shook his head.

"Just expect a lot of questions." Ahri extended her hand and James took it, allowing himself to be pulled towards the rift. Sona took his other one, an innocent tune being played as Ahri shot a quick glance at her. Together the three walked through the rift.

 **Hey guys, it John here. I spent a lot of time researching for this chapter and I'm pleased of the outcome. First I would like to note that the song I wrote down actually exists, and it is quite beautiful. The link is on my profile page. Please go check it out, I promise you won't regret it. Second, I would like to ask if anyone would like to beta read for this story, I'm looking for one or two more people to take the position. A spot has been reserved for SIROWL, but I would like more so that I don't have to hand over the whole chapter to one person. Cheep, I know, but you still get some enjoyment and surprise when you read the finished version.**

 **youtube link for the song** watch?v=j1lNdXWUQ7g


	13. Chapter 13

The rift was actually a hallway, stretching from his world to whatever was on the other side. James had to squint his eyes because everything was bleached white, the soft glow coming off the small spots on the walls just barely bright enough to light their path. He followed a step behind Ahri as she strode eagerly forward, pulling Sona along behind him. The girls continued to shoot looks at each other, Sona being sly and Ahri ever jealous.

"You know she's just playing with you, right?" James asked as they walked. The hallway was definitely a long one, stretching out of sight.

"Of course I know." Ahri said, raising her chin up. James looked back at Sona and inclined his head to their hands before turning slightly towards Ahri. Sona nodded understandably and let go. James gave a slight smile and a thumbs up before turning his full attention to Ahri. The fox girl hadn't seen the exchange behind her and marched on, still pull on James's arm.

James pulled even with Ahri and let go of her hand, wrapping his left arm around her waist. Ahri wrapped her arm around him too, her jealous attitude disappeared as she leaned her head on his shoulder. James's free hand raised up and scratched the base of her ears and causing her to release a purr. Behind them Sona smiled for her friend, enjoying the look of happiness she had. She began to play a loving song, her hair falling free as she removed her cap.

James began to pick up the pace as he saw a point ahead were there were no walls. The others noticed and sped up, Sona passing the couple and running ahead, disappearing as she went past the end of the hall. James slowed down before the end, Ahri stopping next to him.

"Ready?" Ahri asked, glancing at him questioningly. James looked her in the eye, searching her for a sign of doubt or fear. All he found was eagerness and excitement.

 _I love this ditz. Nothing in either of our worlds faze you, don't they?_ James thought to himself. "I'm ready when you are." Ahri smiled again and pulled on his hand, walking through the end of the hall and out of the rift. James thought he saw something glint out of the corner of his eye before he stumbled into an unfamiliar room, but dismissed it when he found himself surrounded by instruments of all kind.

Throughout the room were a multitude of instrument stands, some holding sheet music while others were holding the musical contraptions themselves. James could recognize a lot of them. There was a clarinet, a flute, a piccolo. There were multiple guitars of all kinds. There was a tuba and saxophone on stands by the hall closest. A piano sat next to an open window, a spring breeze moved the curtains ever so slightly. The owner of the house sat on her couch, patiently waiting for her guests to take in the sight.

Sona played a welcoming tune to bring their attention to her, welcoming them to her home. "The honor is mine, Sona." James said, returning her greeting. Sona smiled and played another tune, telling the teen he was welcome.

Ahri watched in annoyance as the two talked. "How in the world do you understand so much from her just playing a few notes?" She asked. James chuckled, ruffling up her hair as he did so.

"Music is just another way of conveying a message. I thought you would know that by now seeing as she is your friend."

"That still doesn't answer the question."

"I've gotten a nack for it after a few years of listening to the radio." James was momentarily distracted as Sona played a questioning tune. "I don't know the best way to describe it, but a radio is a machine that works on radio waves to convey sounds. Most of the world uses it for music, news, and sports, but the military has their own personal radio waves I believe."

Ahri sighed, deciding that they should move on before she got more jealous. "Sona, did you get the application forms?"

Sona nodded, pointing to a stack of papers on the piano bench. James, however, didn't quite understand. "What application papers?" He asked, letting go of Ahri's hand as she walked over and picked up the papers. "Ahri, what papers."

"Ones you want to sign." Ahri said, handing the papers to James with a pleased smile. "I contacted Sona two days ago and had her get these for me. You can choose the days your available, so it won't clash with school or work. I'm expecting one hell of a reward for this, by the way."

James was silent, staring at the headline of the application. It was an official invitation to the league of legends, written by the institution itself. James had to sit down as he began to go through the papers, reading it carefully before he took the pen that Ahri handed him and began to fill out the form at the end, shaking his head in wonder.

"I truly don't care anymore. Whatever you want, Ahri, il give it to you. As long as it's mine to give away." James finished and handed the pen back, already aware of what she wanted. "I fucking love you."

"Me too James. Me too." Ahri kissed him and grabbed his hand again, leading him to the door. Sona followed, locking up the house as she closed the door. Ahri led the way to the institution, dragging James through the crowd of Summoners and champions alike. James's eyes darted all over the place, examining absolutely everything around him. A lot of people were looking back at him also, his clothes not fitting in with the rest of the city and standing out like a sour thumb. The girls couldn't help but giggle at the attention he was getting, Sona playing a laughing tune on her etwahl and Ahri smiling gently as her boyfriend took her role of acting like a complete child.

James finally noticed all the looks he was getting and shrunk down a little, slouching his shoulders and drawing closer to Ahri. The fox girl brushed his arm with one of her tails, reassuring the teen. James smiled at her gratefully, straitening up to his full hight and copying her stride. Some of the looks he was getting turned stony, but James held himself so it appeared as if he didn't notice.

They had to separate at the institution when James was called in for testing. Ahri and Sona waited in the waiting area for the champions, Sona because she had a match scheduled in a little while and Ahri waited for James (and because she was told she would be fighting herself due to her long time out of contact.)

Sona disappeared first,being called to the field by a summoner. Ahri was called a few minutes later, finding herself in the normal dark space while she waited to be released on the battlefield. She accepted the mental link with her summoner, greeting them traditionally. The other end of the link stayed silent, instead probing her as if trying to get used to the controls.

"Hey newbie, relax." She told the summoner. "I'll help you on the way, just tell me what to do."

"If you say so Ahri. I don't want to fail my first ever match." James voice said in her head, causing her to smile as he somehow embraced her mentally. "Surprised?" He asked playfully.

"Not one bit." Ahri replied happily. "In fact, I'm relieved. You had me worried with the silence."

James chuckled. "Sorry about that. I had to talk with the council." His voice suddenly turned serious, a great apprehension and excitement flowing off of him in their mental link. "Let's go."

The field of justice appeared before them, just how Ahri remembered. James directed he to the shop and bought her grab a dagger, telling her to trust him when she asked why. They then checked out the rest of their team. Jax stood to the side with his staff, patiently waiting for the match to start. Rengar stood next to him with his arms crossed. Next was Sona, who gave Ahri a friendly smile from her pedestal. The little furry figure of teemo stood at the last spot, eyeing the jungle route.

Over her mental link Ahri heard James say to the other Summoners to tell him if they came upon any champions. Then the match started and the couple was off, their minds so attuned to each other they didn't need to communicate. This was a new experience to both of them, giving Ahri full access to James's mind and James full access to her own. Ahri couldn't help but laugh as she charged down the middle row ahead of her team.

"Bots dead ahead." James said, his intentions transmitting into actions for Ahri. She sent out some of her orbs and spread chaos through the enemy ranks, shortly followed by blue fires attacking those that still stood. Ahri then dashed in to close combat, something she would never have done normally, but James knew what he was doing. Ahri weaved in and out of the enemy blows, a laugh escaping her lips. She cut and slashed as she passed enemies, dodging effortlessly through gaps she never thought possible. But due to James's through the roof reaction time and his ability to track a multiple amount of moving targets, Ahri could finally appreciate what kind of monster a video gamer is. They weren't especially strong physically, but their brains were a notch above everyone else. And it felt wonderful. James put her through motions that stretched and used every muscle in her body, her spells timed perfectly with her motions. Whenever they came across another champion, the fox girl was a living tornado, casting spells and leaving cuts as she cut very close to her prey. The poor victim couldn't keep their eyes on her and were cut to ribbons, dying rather quickly from the hail of spells and cuts.

"James, I need a breather." Ahri panted, slowing down and taking a knee. Jax and Rengar passed her as they moved forward.

James head was a whirl, keeping track of the battle and running along multiple possible outcomes and debating over his next move. "Fall back and rest for now. You've earned a break." Ahri did as she was told, falling back to her side of the field. So far the only problem they had had was the towers. James didn't know how to handle these to well and Ahri took over, focusing on using long distance attacking of her orbs.

"I have to wonder why the hell your so unknown in your world." Ahri commented, sitting down on the ground. The sounds of battle echoed from down the lane, but Ahri knew James would jump into gear as soon as he sensed danger.

"Because I don't let the fact that I'm smart get out to much." Ahri chuckled, fully aware that he meant it. A nation wide video game master, hiding in a school. "Are you ready to resume combat?" James asked.

"Yeah. I should be able to go." She got to her feet,waiting for James directions. Instead she found herself completely under her own control.

"Show me what you can do. I'll back you up when you get in trouble, but show me how you fight on your own." Ahri paused for a moment before a wild glint popped into existence and she took off, fully planning on enjoying herself.

Ten minutes later the enemy teams nexus laid in shambles, Ahri panting heavily but dearly pleased with the results of her efforts. Her team stood around celebrating, high giving each other and chatting happily about of the match. Rengar was looking at Ahri in an analyzing manner, clearly impressed by how hard she fought in battle. Ahri put on a cheesy smile and held up two fingers in a victory sign.

Then the world flashed and she found herself in the waiting hall again. Ahri sat down on one of the benches and leaned against the wall, her exhaustion gone but the rest much appreciated. After a few minutes rest she got to her feet and left the room to the main hall, expecting to find James in the middle of a cheering crowd due to his unusual ability to control his champion perfectly. What she found was the main hall in a normal state of people rushing to and from, standing around talking, and watching recaps or live matches on screens positioned throughout the room.

"Took you long enough." A shiver shot down Ahri's spine as the voice spoke from her five o'clock position. "Take a few more steps and your fan club with come in with massive force." Ahri spun around, a grin growing on her face.

"Since when did you learn to hide that well?" She asked James, placing one of her hands on her hips as she examined his appearance. James had donned a traditional purple Summoners robe and was leaning against the wall with his head angled slightly down, his eyes facing forward but not locking onto anyone else's.

"Same time I learned to run like my life depended on it." James replied, locking eyes with her. A smile of his own spread on his lips. "Life's hard when your a tiny guy who doesn't make to many friends. Sport players back then were one hell of an opponent."

"Weren't you competitive at that too?"

"Not till later. Kind of got addicted to it when they started to panic a few years later when their favorite punching bag started to beat them at their own games." He chuckled to himself as he remembered the little kid darting around and under the bugger kids, completely monopolizing the ball. Quite a few times the players went foul and attacked him, so he also got used to taking blunt impacts. He'd never tell her that part though.

"So, now what?" Ahri asked, taking a spot next to James. The crowd was starting to take notice, the fox girl sensing an increase in the amount of people casting glances at her.

"I passed the entrance exam with flying colors, so I don't have anything else to do." James pushed off of the wall and stood on his feet, glancing to the side as he did so as to keep eye contact with Ahri. "So why don't you give me a tour?"

Ahri shrugged and grabbed his hand, silently pulling him through the crowd. "We got an hour by my guess. Keep up if you want to enjoy yourself." She broke contact and took off at a run, James following close on her heels. The pair laughed like madmen as they wove through the crowd, enjoying their chase.


	14. Chapter 14

"So let me get this straight." James mom sat on the couch and looked at them sternly, glancing between her son and the fox girl in irritation. "You've been able to come to and from your world whenever you please, but you've stayed here with us instead?"

"Yes mam." Ahri said, diverting her gaze as Marry's gaze bore into her.

"Them out of the blue, you invite someone dangerous into the house without permission?" Ahri's ears drooped, her eyes locked on her feet.

"Sona is not dangerous!" The sudden shout and cry of pain jolted both girls as the previously silent teen sat up.

"Sit down and be silent!" James didn't listen to his mom's orders and got to his feet, grinding his teeth as he attempted to take a step towards his mother. Ahri jumped to his feet and pushed him back on the couch.

"James, this isn't how you planned this." She whispered, trying to calm him down.

"Screw the plan!" James barked, attempting to get back to his feet. "She's trying to interrogate you with things you've already confirmed to intimidate you. I'm not letting you take blame for this." He focused his gaze on his mother, glaring as mean as he could as tears of pain leaked out of the corner of his eye when he shifted his body. "It was my choice to go to Runeterra. It was my choice to take part in a match. It was my choice to run around recklessly and pull stupid stunts. It was my mistake that caused me to miss the jump and fall two stories and break my leg. If you're going to chew anyone out for that, why don't you actually check your facts and see it in a non-biased point of view!" His pain now beating his rage, he laid back down and went slack. He kept the defiant look in his eyes front in center, daring his mom to antagonize Ahri again.

James outburst caused his mother to hesitate, not used to the calm, placid video gamer's rage. "What happened to you? You used to do as you were told and be well behaved, not this foolish and violent."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Does this hurt?" James growled. "I did as I was told because there was no reason I shouldn't. Besides, you only saw the smart, obedient child who did as he was told. Did you ever see me happy when I did it? No, I was just doing it because I thought I had to. But now I actually find something to really care about, and your being a total bitch to her."

"I am being your mother!"

"You are attacking an innocent. She wasn't the one who broke my leg, so don't blame her for it!" James slammed his fist into the end piece next to the couch, causing everything on it to shake and fall over. "I already know your whole argument. First, you stack minor details against her. Then you make it so she feels bad and then put the crime you want her to fess up too on the table so she will take that out of misery. Then your going to spin it so she goes home on her own and break her will and make her so guilty she won't show her face again."

"I was n-" she tried to snap back, but James cut her off.

"Yes, you were. Don't lie to me." James said angrily. "I recognize the method. Give me credit, you use it all the time on dad so he will do as you 'ask'. If your going to control people, switch it up. We tend to learn too, you know."

"James, stop." The anger started to drain out of the teen as he heard the gentle voice next to him. He had sat up again, clenching his muscles as if he was ready for a fight. Ahri put a hand on his arm, gently stroking him with her thumb. "This is not you, and you know it." Ahri's voice was full of concern for him, causing him to shake off his anger to look at her. James's eyes met her's, the last of his rage calming to a light simmer.

"Your right." He sighed, putting his hand on hers. "Sorry Ahri." She smiled gently, glad to see he had reverted to his normal self. James smiled back, a tired mood coming over him. _Note to self, anger cost a lot of MP. Not the best idea._

Marry was visibly shaken by the events that had just taken place. She silently watched Ahri help James lift his leg back onto the couch, the overwhelming killer intent now gone from the boy. _Why does she affect him so powerfully? When she first came here, James often ignored her or got annoyed whenever they were together. Now after he has her under control, her presence can cause him to jump from polar opposite emotions in a short period of time. Does this mean he degenerating to a normal teenager?_ She shook her head to clear away those thoughts. _On the other hand, this could be a good thing. Before he was only motivated by games, so she might be a positive influence on him..._ She pondered the idea for a minute, trying to guess where this development could lead. James eventually noticed and brought her back to reality.

"So, arguments gone. The story is I was screwing around on the roof to get a basketball and fell, slipping on the ice at an odd angle and breaking my leg." He said mater of factly as if that's the it had happened. "And if they wonder why, we tell them because I wanted to." Both girls nodded, confirming the story.

James waited for his mom to leave and start the car before he had Ahri help him to his feet. "Don't drop me this time." He joked as he hopped to the stairs with the fox girl. Each time he came back down the impact jarred his bad leg.

"I only did that once." Ahri whined, quickly smiling to show she was only playing. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you would just let me carry you again."

James chuckled at the memory of Ahri carrying him down the street in her arms, heading back to Sona's house so that she would heal him. When they found out she wasn't strong enough, they just went home. "Not in my world."

"You mean our world." Ahri corrected him.

"Our world." James agreed.

* * *

The drive to the hospital was a bitch. It never occurred to James that his mom was a bad driver. Neither did it ever occur to him that the roads could be so bumpy. By the two hundred and thirty second road patch James could swear his broken leg was trying to kill him. He grit his teeth and tried to bear it, but it was damb near impossible. Ahri held his hand the whole way, but she didn't supply as much comfort as she wanted to.

His mom drove by the ER drop off and Ahri helped him into the building while she went to park the car. "I'm not going to have to pay the parking fee, will I?" He called as she drove away. His mom rolled down the window and flipped him off.

The waiting room was crowded when they walked in. No one noticed them until they got halfway to the front desk. A small boy no older than eight saw Ahri's tails and called out, pointing at her with wide eyes. Soon a crowd formed around them to ogle her, completely oblivious to James.

"Hey, can you let us through? Sir, uh please- come on, let us pass." Ahri tried weakly to get through, only for the crowd to condense around them. "James, this would be a good time to get angry."

"What do I look like, the hulk? I can't get angry on command." James glanced around the room for someone of authority to call to. "Besides, I don't like how I get when I'm angry. It's like I turn into the people who did their best to hurt me when I was younger."

Eventually order was restored and they got to the desk. James got a priority because of the fact he was practically standing on a broken leg and because they didn't want a riot by the presence of Ahri. His mom joined them shortly before the came back with a wheel chair for him.

They wheeled him down a few hallways and gave him a room, telling him that the doctor will be with him shortly. They asked the girls to wait in the hall while they worked. Ahri tried to resist but James told her to follow orders, claiming that the doctors knew what they were doing from experience and their word always had a reason.

"Go sit and think. Try to figure out why they told you to wait." His voice was distant as he tried to separate himself from reality, extremely nervous about them setting the bone.

"Are you going to be okay?" She asked worriedly.

"I'll live." James said simply, avoiding her point. He honestly didn't know what to do in his position but follow orders. Ahri wasn't satisfied with the answer, but she wouldn't contradict herself and begin to doubt him now. Once the doctor came in she left the room quietly, only stopping to ask the doctor to be gentle.

"He's in good hands." The doctor told her. Ahri dipped her head and exited.

Waiting in the hall for her was James's mom, a look of apprehension in her eyes. "Is he okay in there?" She asked. Ahri joined her on a bench that was pushed up against the wall.

"He says he'll live." Ahri replied. Marry frowned at the answer.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know." Ahri sighed. "I've only known the guy for a short amount of time compared to how long you have, but I can tell he was scared. I've never seen him scared before."

"Well, he has a reason to be scared." Marry admitted. "I was scared as hell when I broke my arm." Ahri looked at her questioningly.

"When did you break your arm?"

"When I was young." She smiled at Ahri's face. "I was young too, you know. Me and some friends went out to celebrate my twenty-first birthday at a bar. We had fun, drank a lot of alcohol, and generally acted like a group of fools." She smiled nostalgically at the memory of her youth. "That was almost seventeen years ago. On the way home we got into an accident and I went flying out the windshield. The designated driver hit the breaks hard at sixty miles an hour when he came upon a dear standing in the middle of the road. Being completely drunk, it never occurred to me to buckle up. Poor deer never saw me coming." The pair laughed at the thought of the young woman flying out the window at fifty miles an hour or so and football tackling the woodland creature.

"How did you survive?" Ahri asked, trying to wipe the grin from her face.

"I was drunk!" Marry stated, widening her arms. "When your as fucked up as I was, your practically indestructible. My body was so loose and relaxed I bounced off of the thing with only a broken arm. Got knocked out cold in the process though." She shook her head in amazement that she had even survived. "I can't tell you how glad James didn't turn out like me. He thinks everything through first before doing it. At least, until he met you."

"Yeah." Ahri agreed, her mind drifting back to her first day in this world. "The first time I met him I hit him like a cannon ball. Next thing I know he's telling me and everyone else what to do. In hindsight, he was probably just making sure no one lost their life, but I still saw him as someone with a lot of power. He shined, you know. He was shining so bright."

"That sounds like him." Marry agreed, scratching her shoulder as it began to itch. "As far as I could tell, he rarely takes a life. He doesn't even kill misquotes if he can help. I freak out over a spider and just walks in and picks it up, putting it outside on a tree. Someone so into killing in a game, can't hurt a fly in real life. Sometimes I don't understand that kid."

"I think I know why." Marry raised an eyebrow to Ahri's statement. "It's because he knows it's a game. It not the killing that James likes, it's the fact it's a game." The fox girl leaned back against the wall and looked up to the ceiling. "In my world, I enjoyed killing. There it was natural when nations are at war. Eventually I made it to the institution and I took lives every day, except there they came back."

Ahri took a breath before continuing. "I envy James in reality. He was born in a stable, peaceful world. There was no real danger for him here, and he grew up to be a good person. He can't take a life because he still thinks that everything has a right to survive. He doesn't kill unless he has a reason. I've read some articles that claim video games cause violence. They don't. Ignorance and lack of respect for life causes those deaths. Those people don't think life is precious, they lose the ability to judge real life actions and start to behave how they do online. James gave them a name, too. He called them lost. He also looked at some of the cases when I brought it up and said that some of those guys were bad to start and wanted a reason to kill." Ahri shudder. "His disgust was of great volume."

"So you say he is the way he is because he knows the difference of the real world and the virtual world?"

"Yes." The pair sat silently for a few minutes. A loud snap and a restrained yell came from the other end of the door. The doctor had probably reset the bone in the proper position.

Marry finally broke the silence. "When did it start?" She asked, her eyes locked on the door.

"What?"

"When did you two really fall in love?" Her question had an edge to it, as if she wasn't fond of the subject.

Ahri sat quietly for a time as she pondered the subject. "I'd have to say shortly after I began attending school. Before hand I was just playing around and having fun. We were friends, we had each other's back when we needed it. Then I started to want him, but it was only a passing fancy. I'm not going to lie, I loved the attention back in Runeterra. I slept with a guy two or three times a week. Not having done it in almost a whole month and a half, he was looking pretty good. But being as he was my close friend, I held myself back because I knew he wouldn't forgive me if I took him just to please myself."

"Then that day happened. I went out with my so called friends and they treated me badly, acting as if I was just an object to be showed off. When I told them I was going home, they told me that James was the same way." Ahri paused to take a breath, the memory still painful. "That broke me. I ran away and hid, but their words followed me. I texted for help, hoping that James would show up and fix my problems like he always does. But then I started to doubt him. It was scary to think that my best friend in this world, the one who stayed by my side even when it was unbearable, someone who was always kind to me, thought like they did? It was two painful." She was silent for a minute as she struggled with her emotions. When she continued, her sadness had all but disappeared. "But he came. I could here him running around like an idiot trying to break into the school, all the while hollering my name. He eventually found me behind the dumpster and tried to reach me but I held him back with my fire. I'm ashamed to say I didn't trust him."

Marry perked up. The couple had never told anyone what had happened that day, so she was greatly interested in the story. Ahri continued on. "I started to yell at him and he just stood there and took it. I was crying at the time and had my head tucked into my arms and knees, but I could still feel his presence just standing there. He waited until I finished my rant before he walked right through the fire, breaking me out of my downward spiral with just the touch of a hand. He wiped away all my fears and doubts, taking me into his arms as if I was a child. He talked to me tenderly, calming me and renewing my faith in him in just one moment. I knew then that I loved him from the bottom of my heart, more than anyone I had ever fancied before. The hopeless guy who never put any effort into talking to girls won me over without even trying. You could say he's the one who actually taught me what true love felt like."

Just then the door opened and the doctor came out. Both girls got to their feet. "He's fine." The doctor assured them, raising his hands defensively. "Just make sure he stays off his feet for a few weeks. Other than that he'll be fine." He noticed Ahri try slide past him. "Yes you can see him now."

Ahri didn't hesitate and opened the door, barely keeping to a walk as she sped to his bed side. James had his eyes closed and his breath was even, his face slack and emotionless. His leg was wrapped in a sea blue cast, the color obviously chosen by the teen. Ahri could here his heat rate, strong and even.

Ahri took the chair closet to the bed and laid her chin next to his head. "You are good at that, you know right?" She whispered. A grin spread on the seemingly unconscious teen's lips.

"How did you know?" He asked, opening his eyes to meet her gaze.

"Because I love you, that's how." She leaned forward to kiss him, holding him for three seconds before backing to her original spot.

"In other words you guessed."

"Yeah, I guessed." The pair shared a laugh before returning to the moment. "Do me a favor. Don't be scared again. I rely on you too heavily to see you scared."

"I can't promise that, little one." James said softly. "But I can promise you that I won't let you down. Not if I can help it."

Ahri smiled at the boys loving words. "Since when did you become the hero?" She asked teasingly.

"Ever since the queen gave me the royal title of pillow." He teased back.

"But you are just so comfortable! Your just the right combination of skinny and muscled to make a living pillow."

"And you make a wonderful heated blankets."

"And that's why you two sleep together." Marry finished. James momentarily took his attention way from Ahri to survey his mom. She stood in her normal defiant stance with her arms crossed, a slight grin on her face as she watched the two of them playfully bicker. "I've seen what I need for now. I'll leave you two to do your lovers bonding." She left the room with the wave of the hand and a knowing look on her face.

"What was that about?" James asked.

"Nothing important." Ahri said, removing her attention from the now closed door. "Now where were we?"

"I had just called you a blanket."

"Ah yes. By any chance your cold?"

"The bed's to small for us to be comfortable. Let's prolonged that till tonight."

"Ah, your so boring."

"Ah! That hurts! Watch the leg, watch the leg!"


	15. Chapter 15

"Mom, I'm home!" James called as he hobbled through the door on his crutches. "Is Ahri back yet?" His dad came to the bottom of the stairs to the basement, armed with a beard and a pool cue.

"Mom's not home. Said something about an important project or something." The man scratched the back of his head as he tried to remember what his wife had told him. "Did I forget our anniversary again?"

"No, that's June fifth. It's March second." James felt a growing sense of dread when he remembered what day it was. He shook it off though, hoping that nothing would go wrong this year. "You got time."

"Still think I'm forgetting something important." He sighed in frustration, scrunching up his face as he tried to remember. "Oh, you asked a question."

"Yeah, I asked if Ahri is back from the institute yet." James put his crutches on the stairs while he supported himself with is good leg, hopping onto the first step. His dad noticed and came to his aid.

"I at least remember the answer to your question." He said, wrapping his son's arm around his shoulder. "Ahri popped in during her break shortly before your mom took off. Said she will be working late tonight." They both grunted as James stumbled on the final landing, catching himself on the railing before he dragged the two of them down.

"Thanks." James said gratefully. His father pushed his arm off of his shoulder and handing him his crutch.

"The least I can do." His dad replied with a friendly smile. "Think you could do the cool stuff when I'm home every now and then? Your mom is getting too much of the fun."

"Yeah, the stuff I go through is a lot of fun." James said sarcastically. "Between mom and Ahri, my lifespan has been shortened by a few years." They shared a laugh at the girls expense.

James hopped over to the couch and took a seat. His dad went downstairs to put his pool cue away. James started to flip through the channels, settling on Fx since they were playing battle of Los Angeles. He set his bag on the couch next to him and relaxed, his dad coming up with some soda and cups from the kitchen. He poured them each a glass and they playfully bumped them together.

While the movie played, James's mind started to wander out of boredom. His dad was not very good at remembering things, but James was glad he had forgotten that it was his birthday. Not because he didn't look forward to aging, that really didn't matter to him. For the last seven years he thought himself cursed.

On his ninth birthday, he vividly remembered being beaten with a bat by a five year old for candy. His parents soon noticed and came to his aid, but not until the kid had gotten away with the goods and leaving him looking like a piñata.

On his tenth birthday, James's mom was in the hospital sick. His dad had left him with a babysitter to stay by her side. That year he had to wait a week to celebrate his birthday, and ended up getting sick himself soon after.

On his eleventh birthday, he invited friends over. They had a really good time, but James didn't drink enough water and got motion sick from playing video games. He wound up passing out on the couch before everyone left.

On his twelfth birthday, James didn't want to repeat the last three years and took off with a friend on a vacation to Michigan. No one knew it was his birthday and nothing went wrong, so that just confirmed it for him that bad things only happen when he had a birthday.

On his thirteenth birthday he suffered the biggest hit. He woke up to find the cat dead next to him, passing away in it's sleep. He spent the whole day digging in the mostly frozen earth to bury the cat, spending the evening locked up in his room. He didn't consume a single scrap of food that day.

He spent his fourteenth birthday alone. Both his parents had gone to California to visit his moms parents, leaving him to take care of himself for two weeks. They planned to be back by his birthday but a severe storm had halted their flight. He spent the entire time online, but he only felt even more alone.

His fifteenth birthday went off without a hitch, but he was to paranoid that something was bound to happen that he didn't enjoy himself too much.

So can you really blame him for being afraid of his birthday? Five years of misfortune conveniently happening on the exact same day each year could traumatize anyone, especially a kid. He still found himself repeating the memory of his ninth birthday in his dreams whenever it came close to that time of year again.

"Hey, you okay?" James was snapped out of his thoughts by the worry in his dad's voice. "You've been frozen in that position for a few minutes. Is your leg troubling you again?"

James blinked a few times, his eyes suddenly unusually dry. "N-no, it's nothing. Just remembering something."

His dad didn't seem convinced, but he knew James well enough that if he didn't want to tell what was on his mind he wouldn't. "Fine, I won't pry. Just don't let whatever it is get to you." James nodded gratefully. They returned their attention to the TV as the commercials ended, giving way to the gunfire of marines firing on aliens.

The movie ended and James took his crutches and went to the bathroom, leaving his dad to go fetch more soda. He was washing his hands when there was a shout of surprise followed by a thud and a string of panicked apologies. "Is everything okay out there?" James called, quickly turning off the faucet and going to the door.

"Yeah, we're good out here." His dad called back. James stepped out of the bathroom to find the man picking up a fresh 2 liter soda bottle from off the ground where he dropped it. "I just tripped up on the last step and dropped the soda on my foot."

James eyed him carefully, trying to read him. "Who was apologizing?" He asked scrutinizingly. He could be imagining it, but there was a slight shine starting on the man's forehead.

"Just me talking to my foot." He said breezily, acting as if that was a totally normal.

"Your voice is to deep for what I heard. Are you sure?" James began to make his way down the hall, his crutches clicking each time they touched down.

"I was in pain." His dad replied. His eyes darted to the couch really fast. James doubted the man even knew he had broken eye contact when he had said that.

James stared at his father for a few more seconds then shrugged, deciding he wouldn't get anywhere if he kept interrogating him. _Besides, it was probably Ahri. He also tripped up on the first question as said we're fine, plural as in someone else was with him. Now the only question is, what are you two hiding?_ He kept his ears open, taking note of every creak and groan of the house.

The guys took a seat on the couch as black hawk down started. His dad raised the volume by a few bars, not enough to make a huge difference but enough to drown out the rest of the house.

"Your hearing getting worse." James commented, not removing his eyes from the screen. He focused on looking forward while keeping an eye on the man next to him. His eyes started to hurt.

"Not at all. I just thought I would like the gunfire louder." James nodded, content with the answer. Now he knew he was covering something up.

James sighed and leaned back again, letting his limbs stretch out to work out the tension. His back popped a few times and pain spiked in his foot, causing himself to recoil slightly. "Damb leg. Any contact and I pour boiling Mercury through my bones." His dad looked at him worriedly as James curled in pain, only to be slightly unnerved when his face suddenly went blank and his body returned to its previous position.

"I don't like it when you do that." He stated. "It's not natural to be able to kill things like pain and emotions with just willpower." James shrugged it off.

"I just calmed my mind and ignored the rest of my body." He said calmly. "I do it all the time when playing shooter games. It helps boost my reaction speed, but it works this way too." (This is a real technique that is common place amongst gamers. It mainly focuses on breathing, but there have been some who can speed up their heart rate by willpower while remaining at a steady breath. They are simply terrifying in action. Fun fact, a similar technique is used in martial arts.)

The pair was silent for a while as they watched the movie, James secretly listening closely for any sign of life throughout the rest of the building. He had heard a window open up downstairs so he knew that Ahri had left. Every now and then he heard a shifting of some sort, so he knew someone else was moving things around and was being very quite about it. James figured that was Sona. But Sona wasn't the quite type, preferring to have music wherever she went. At least, that's what Ahri told him.

James continued to ponder the odds of it being Sona down below, or if Ahri had somehow snuck back in. She did have that teleportation thingy, but as far as he knew it only worked to and from Runeterra. The overwhelming need to know who was downstairs gnawed at him, his curiosity trying its best to convince the clever part of him to stop observing the mystery and go solve it. It took all his will power to keep up the charade of ignorance.

Eventually James got bored of the movie and went to his room, claiming he would take a nap before dinner. "Wake me when the others get home." His dad promised he would and James left the couch. He pushed his door open with one of his crutches before entering and closing it behind him. He grabbed himself a pillow and cover and laid down on the floor next to the vent, settling into a comfortable position before he closed his eyes.

James did not go to sleep, However, but instead got a better position to hear the rest of the house. The door muffled the tv so that it no longer covered up most of the noise. Now he could here the person below moving around better, every careless movement or slightly audible footstep echoing through the ventilation system. It sounded as if they were moving around with plates and cups, and he could have sworn he heard the downstairs fridge open. As the person worked, they hummed happily to themselves.

 _And that rules out Sona_. James thought to himself. A smirk spread across his lips as he pictured the girl below working quietly and humming to herself, her tails bobbing behind her in tune. _Ah well, I'll let this go on for a while. It would disappoint them to much if they knew I was onto them._

Meanwhile on the other side of the floor board, Ahri was happily setting up the pool table with plates and cups. In the middle of the table sat six different kinds of soda and three plates full of cookies. In the fridge sat a large cake, neatly decorated with sea blue frosting. Marry had snuck by earlier and passed the food through the window, along with some neatly wrapped boxes which she ordered Ahri to hide. Ahri complied, winking at the other woman as she took off down the street to were she parked the car.

Ahri finished putting up the last decorations on the walls before she whipped out her new phone and sent a text, informing Marry that plan B was set up and she awaited orders. She then checked around the corner to make sure no one was looking from the front hall before pulling out her own present. It was lumpy and poorly wrapped, decorated with a simple red ribbon. She carefully stashed it with the rest of the presents in the back of the room, hidden behind an old fake Christmas tree.

A cheerful little jingle caused Ahri to spin around, one of her orbs in hand. She then realized that it was just her phone and dispersed the orbs in embarrassment. She pulled it out and read the message.

 **Operation pack rat finished. Bringing the riot squad in 30.**

 **Go have fun before the cavalry arrives.**

Ahri cracked a smile at the joke. She checked the time before she put her phone away before she opened a rift and left earth, making a quick trip back home before she went to see James.

James was acutely aware that Ahri left, hearing the jingle of her phone and then silence. His entertainment momentarily out of his plane of existence, James found himself with a large sense of boredom again. He wrapped one arm under the pillow and rolled to face away from the vent, closing his eyes before letting his mind wander. He was in the middle of debating wether Ahri had been working on her own or with someone else when he accidentally fell asleep, drifting to a dream of the fox girl.

In his dream, Ahri slept in the middle of a glade, buried in her tails. Every now and then her ear would twitch, a pleased smile on the fox girl's face as she dreamed. Some kind of little particles floated around, giving the place a sleepy mood. James laid down next to Ahri and slipped his hand under her's, affection building in his chest as she squeezed it.

Ahri's eyes slowly opened to meet his. James starred back, marveling how her yellow eyes seemed to gleam like pure gold. The fox girl slowly closed her eyes again and rolled over so she lay on his arm, her back pressed against his chest.

James blinked. Ahri had disappeared, being replaced by a white fox. The foxes tails had light orange tips. Instead of Ahri's nine tails, it had seven. It was young too, measuring just under ten inches from nose to tail. James reached over and pet behind its ears, causing its head to turn and look at him. Instead of Ahri's gold, the fox had brilliant sapphire eyes.

The fox turned in place in place to face him, staring at him intently. James could sense intelligence behind the eyes as they look at him curiously.

"Who are you?" He asked the fox.

The fox vigorously shook its head and yawned, exposing rows of tiny teeth. _I don't know_. James heard the feminine voice in his head.

"Okay then. Why are you here?"

 _I don't know that either._ The fox said sadly. Its head drooped down out of shame. James started to pet it, smiling in a friendly manner.

"Hey, don't go sad on me. You'll remind me of something best left in the past." The fox cocked its head to the side questioningly but James chose not to elaborate. "So what do you know?" He asked the fox.

The fox was silent for a moment before it replied. _I know what I am. I also know how I came to exist_. James sat silently, looking at the fox expectantly. The fox continued. _I am a mixture of magic energy and emotions, created from a deep bond between two different beings. One of the beings is a kitsune, a fox spirit that takes the form of a human by feeding off of their life energy. The other is a human of another world, kind and reasonable. He has an abundance of emotions he keeps in reserve, building up more than enough to be one or two other people in the process._

James was starting to wonder if his dad had slipped something into his soda. "So, by the two beings, you mean us?" He asked slowly.

 _Yes_. The fox replied, some of its tails starting to wag with pleasure.

James thought for a moment, sitting up and crossing his legs. The fox came over and sat in his lap. "How long?" He asked.

 _I don't know. I just know what I am._ The fox replied. _By any chance, can I have a name?_

James began to ponder what a suitable name would be, absent mindedly petting the fox as he did. After a few minutes, he thought of one. "How about Echo?" He asked, scratching the underside of the foxes chin. Echo let out a purr, rotating her head so James scratched her cheek too.

 _I like it._ Echo said. James stopped scratching so she could speak without a struggle and rested his hand on her shoulder. _Thank you for the name, but I think it's time for you to wake up. Someone's waiting._ She darted her head forward and nipped his hand, the sharp pain vaulting him out of his dream.

There was a quite "eep!" as James's eyes shot open. Ahri sat in a flush position and had been watching him. James tried to sit up, only to find a soft heap of fur holding down his arm. The weight wasn't much and he could easily have pushed through it, but the shock of the unexpected object's weight caused him to pause.

Cuddled up on his arm was Echo.

"Just so you know, she's not mine." Ahri stated hastily, blushing slightly. "Don't go blaming me if children start popping into existence." James chuckled at her reaction.

"You can relax, Ahri. I already know how this one came to life." His voice suddenly turned serious. "By any chance, have you been casting magic on me willy milly? Say, charm?"

Ahri's blush deepened. "H-How would you know I've been trying to charm you every night for the last month and a half?" she stammered, looking away as she realized she had been caught.

"Because Echo told me she was created by our love, my huge reserve of pent up emotions, and an over usage of magic power." James stated, picking up and cradling said fox in his arms. "I hope you can explain why you used enough magic power to generate another living being."

"I didn't." Ahri exclaimed, then hesitated. "At least not as far as I know."

They were interrupted by Echo yawning adorably. _Quite fighting!_ She wined. _Can you guys argue after my birthday?_

"Sorry Echo." James said, scratching behind her ears. She pushed her forehead against his palm. "We'll talk about this later."

Ahri watched as the natural bond James and Echo began to strengthen, torn between envy and affection. She was jealous because that's how James treated her, and she was affectionate because she felt a tie to the little fox she couldn't explain. The fox's presence felt oddly familiar, but she could swear she didn't know anything about the new comer. Eventually she gave in and allowed it.

"It's not like she stole my plan." Ahri huffed, crossing her arms and turning her back to them. "When you're ready, come on out." She walked out of the room with her nose in the air, a mischievous grin crossing her face as she ducked out of sight.

"Is he awake now?" James's dad asked as she walked into the living room.

"Yeah, and he has a surprise for us." Ahri said, brushing her dress to get out some wrinkles. She wore her signature red dress, the one which James liked the most. "Back up in five."

A few minutes later James came shambling out of his room with his crutches, Echo following closely on his good heel. "You could have helped me up." He said darkly to Ahri on his way to the bathroom. He was about to close the door when Echo darted around him. "Echo, please wait outside while I use the bathroom. Thank you." The little white fox left and sat out in front of the door, starring at Ahri's tails as she waited.

"What?" Ahri asked, crossing her arms again.

 _Why do you have nine tails?_ Echo asked curiously. She fanned out her own so that Ahri could count how many she had.

Ahri scratched her chin, pondering the question. "I don't know. Maybe it's just the way I am?" She said honestly.

Echo walked over to her and took a whiff of her scent before rubbing against her leg. _Mine_. She said happily. Ahri couldn't help but aww at the cuteness of the smaller fox.

The bathroom door opened and James exited in a slightly better mood than he was when he went in. "You two getting along now?" He asked rhetorically. Echo gave an affirmative yip and Ahri nodded.

"What was that?" James's dad called down the hall.

"An Echo." James called back. He took point and led them to the living room, him and Ahri taking positions to the side. The fox in question took a spot in the middle of the floor, staring at the man on the couch. "You could say it's her birthday."

 _Hello_. Echo said, standing perfectly still. James was slightly amuse when his dad flinched, looking around for the source of the voice. _Down here._ He removed his glasses and wiped them, not quite believing what sat in front of him. James and Ahri just stood to the side laughing.

"Did she just speak?" He asked, leaning forward from the couch to get a closer look.

"Yes, yes she did." James said, shaking with laughter at his dad's slack jawed face. The man noticed and closed his mouth, straightening up.

"Well, I won't pretend that she is normal." He said, casting another look at Echo. "And neither will I pretend this doesn't bother me. Where did she come from?"

"Well, I don't exactly know myself." James said, scratching the back of his head. "Somethings from me, some magic from Ahri, and a bit of luck?" His dad's eyebrows furrowed.

"You two did it?" He asked, his voice serious.

In perfect sync the couple's faces flushed deep red and they mysteriously couldn't look at each other. "H-He hasn't touched me yet, I swear!" Ahri exclaimed, grabbing her upper right arm before adding quieter. "He is rather stubborn about doing this properly. I want to respect his wishes."

"Echo is ours."James stated firmly, telling himself and Ahri as much as he was telling his dad. "But she is not a product of improper conduct." Ahri gave him a grateful look, her doubtful expression fading away.

 _I have no idea what you guys are talking about._ Echo said. They turned to look at her, her place in the family guarantied. They were greeted by her form surrounded by a soft yellow light. _My time here is up. I'm going to have to rest for a bit before I can make another appearance._

"What do you mean by that?" James exclaimed worriedly.

 _Don't worry, I'm not dying. I just don't have a physical form yet._ She assured them. _You two still need to give that to me. Until then, I'll give you one more piece Information I've gleamed. By searching both your memories, I know how I was created._

"How?" Ahri asked, kneeling down and picking up Echo.

From a crash between you and dad. Echo said quickly, the light fading. _You life force mingled on your first meeting, the portal supplying the energy neces-_ " She didn't finish the sentence as she disappeared completely.

"Why did she know so much for being so young?" Ahri asked, her saddened eyes locked on Echo's last position.

"Well, because she was completely made of magic?" James suggested. Ahri shot him a dirty look. "What? It's not as if she's dead. She said she's only resting. Must take a lot of energy to hold even the smallest form when you don't have a body."

"Then where is she?" Ahri asked accusingly.

"I got her." James said, tapping his chest. "I can still feel her presence."

"I'm going to assume I won't understand what's going on." James's father said, looking more confused than ever. "This one is on you two."

"Well, okay then?" James said. "Now what?"

To answer his question, the door opened and his mom walked in with two others in tow. "Hey man, what's up?" Kyle asked, his hands behind his head as he walked through the doorway. Krisha followed him in with a large black bag slung over her shoulder.

"Nothing much." James said with a shrug. "My daughter dropped in for a visit. You just missed her."

"Oh, really." Kyle said skeptically. "I thought you were to chicken to knock up Ahri."

"Well, he's definitely not perverted like you." Krisha said, dropping the big black bag at the bottom of the stairs. Kyle laughed, slinging his own joke.

"You would know, would you? Didn't you think of taking him for yourself once?"

Kirsha kicked him between the legs and earned a double kill. "Did not! I was just playing. Besides, this guy was fun to pick on. He can climb to the top of a pine tree in ten seconds flat!"

"Okay you two, kiss and make up." James said from the top of the stairs. "What's in the bag?"

"Just some garden tools." Krisha replied. "We're going to use the empty bag to transfer your body parts to a secluded part of a park."

"Oh lovely. And here I thought I had to wait until my leg healed to fight you again." James waved one of his crutches in an attempt to touch her as she came up the stairs but she just blocked it.

"You don't stand a chance in your current state." Krisha said with a grin. "You rely to much on those damb dances to win."

"It's not my fault you don't like to dodge." James said jokingly. Kyle and his mom joined them in the living room. "So what is the real reason you're here?" James asked, keeping up the pretense as best as he can. No need to ruin their fun.

"You'll have to ask your mom about that." Kyle answered evasively. "We're just your local pirates here to reap the rewards." Krisha kicked him in the shin and made a hushing noise.

"If you're here to steal my games, I still have a fox girl on my side." Ahri stepped forward to stand at his side, summoning and orb to float an inch above her palm. Her grin then widened and she moved past him to stand with the others.

"I don't know." She said sultrily. "What if I want some of the loot for myself?"

"When it's already entitled to you?" James said, his own smile growing on his lips as he stepped closer. "That was kind of established when we first began living together. And the silent agreement was sealed when we started dating." He had gotten dangerously close to her, his face just a few inches away from her's.

"I've been told." Ahri said, closing the distance. It was just a quick, shallow kiss, but James was highly pleased anyways. When Ahri broke of he let go of one of his crutches (his right one, he still needed the left one to support his broken left leg.) and pulled her in for a hug. Ahri wrapped her arms around him, in return.

Someone clearing their throat brought them back to reality. Kyle handed James his crutch so he could support himself when they released each other.

"So anyway, shall we get started? I'm sure Ahri wants to show you her surprise she has been working on." James and the rest of the people in the room turned their attention to his mother who still stood at the top of the stairs.

James raised his eyebrow. "A surprise for what?" He asked, internally high-fiving himself for pulling off the voice perfectly.

This time Ahri answered. "To celebrate the destruction of a curse that I have been told you've been carrying for quite a while." She reached out to take his hand when she realized that it was holding a crutch. Her mood slightly dampened, she retracted the hand.

"It's fine." James told her. He let go of the crutch and quickly snatched her hand before he could lose balance and fall over. "We don't just share a home and things. We share each other too."

"Yeah." Ahri felt better, her hand being squeezed gently by James. "Come on. You've waited long enough." She helped James down the stairs, willingly lending him support every time he took a step. At the bottom they stopped, turned, and started down the second flight. Marry stepped to the side so that they could take the lead, a look of pride on her face.

"So James, do you know what day it is?" Ahri asked.

"Wednesday?" James replied.

"No silly." Ahri chuckled. She flipped the light switch to illuminate the room. "It's your birthday."

All around the room were streamers of blue, green, and purple pined to the wall. The pool table had been set with a number of plates and cups, bottles of soda sitting in the middle surrounded by piles of cookies. Sitting in front of the pile of food was an old picture frame, inside sitting an old photograph of James as a little kid, a wide smile on his face as he blew out the candles.

James picked up the photo and stared at it silently for a moment, memories of how simple the world had been back then filling his mind. Back when he trusted people. "You set this all up yourself?" James asked quietly, putting the photo back on the table.

"Mostly." Ahri said cheerfully. "Your mom helped supply the materials. I just did the best I could with what I had." James scratched the back of her ears affectionately, dragging himself back to the present.

"To be honest, the only thing I actually wanted today was to be with you." James admitted. "This place is pretty boring without you. We don't have quite as many explosions."

"I'll destroy the world as many times as you want." Ahri joked back. "Shall we get started?"

"Yes, we shall." Marry said from the fridge, a cake in her hands. James looked past her, noticing that there was less beer than usual in the fridge. "Would you do the honors, Ahri?" She placed the cake on the table.

Ahri placed sixteen candles in the top of he cake positioned in the shape of a eighteen and snapped her fingers. Eighteen blue flames sat on the candles, waving gently in the air. Then they began to sing.

James didn't know the point of the song that nobody really enjoyed being directed at them, but James held himself steady while he fought the embarrassing lyrics in his head. _I'll never be a fan of this song, but these guys will never know that._

The song ended and James blew out the candles. His mom cut the cake and started to hand out pieces. His dad went and fetched ice cream from the chest freezer and served everyone a few scoops. Kyle dumped some of his down Krisha's back. Krisha retaliated with a kick to the balls.

"Nothing wrong yet." James commented to Ahri in a whisper.

"If something happens, it won't walk away alive." Ahri commented back. James chuckled and nodded, happy to have her with him.

They proceed onto the gifts once everyone had settled down with their sweets. James received a new 3DS from his mom, some new sweatshirts from his dad, a necklace with a jade arrowhead from Krisha, and a pair of foam swords from Kyle. He also received some yugioh decks from his uncle who sent them in the mail.

Ahri gave him her gift last, shyly standing next to him as he began to take off the paper to the small bundle. Inside was a single fingerless leather glove with a black pyramid over each of the knuckles. James pulled it out and slipped it on his left hand, flexing his fingers. It was a perfect fit.

"It has some of my magic power absorbed into it." Ahri said nervously. "This way you can go to and from Runeterra without my help." She rocked side to side as she watched James, afraid he might not like it.

James let go of his crutches and hugged her, resting his chin on her shoulder before he whispered in her ear. "Thank you, Ahri."

Ahri was stunned for a brief second before she returned the hug. "You're welcome."

 **Hey guys, it's the author here. I've been working on this story for two weeks and I planned to release it on today. Why March second of all days? Because it's my birthday! So I bid you all from my iPad to have a good day in my stead and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Here's a hint for he next chapter: Echo's body.**


	16. Chapter 16

James collapsed on his bed, the exhaustion taking a hold of him. "I have to give you guys credit." He yawned to Ahri, who had taken a seat at the head of the bed. "Today's been the best day of my life." He raised an arm toward the ceiling, the leather glove still on his left hand. He could feel it's power warming his hand with a gentle heat, enveloping his hand with Ahri's magic.

His mind replayed the events of the day, his mind spinning at all that had happened. Krisha beating up Kyle for the last cookie. Ahri putting ona show with her fox fires. James learning he could now steal her fires with his glove. Sona showing up with soraka, who healed James's leg. His mom immediately chasing him around with a knife while yelling about medical bills. James pulling off a barrel roll as he jumped out the window, laughing like a lunatic as he landed on his feet. He didn't expect to pull that off, but it gave him a huge ego boost. He then immediately tripped and fell into the mud. Talk about graceful, aye?

"You know, the day's not over yet." Ahri said sultrily as she laid down on her side above his head. "There is still one more thing I can do for you." She ran a finger through her hair and gave him a seductive look.

James sighed and rolled over to make room for her. "Not today Ahri, I'm not in the mood right now." Ahri laid down directly next to him, her hand being placed on his chest while the other dragged a cover over them. The fox girl began to move her hands down his body, her eyes tracking their progress. James caught the one of the hands before it could pass his stomach. "I mean it, my love. I am so tired I'll be out cold in a few minutes. Besides, my parents are home."

"And why should I care about them?" Ahri asked. She pulled her hand out of James's grip and pushed it under is head so his cheek rested in her palm. "You want to see Echo again, don't you?"

"That's playing dirty, Ahri." James said, raising himself up a little. "Of course I want to see my own daughter again."

"Then why prolong it?" Ahri asked, pushing gently on his chest. James fell back onto the bed without complaint. Ahri took it as a sign of resignation and crawled on top of him, sitting up so she straddled his waist. She slipped her arms out of the sleeves of her dress before slipping it off, allowing it to fall onto the bed behind her. "I knew you wouldn't resist me, James." She said lovingly,leaning forward to kiss him.

James let out a slight snore, the wind coming from his lungs creating a slight buzzing noise. Ahri stopped in her tracks and stared at him, not entirely believing what had happened. She then let out a sigh before laying down and pulling the covers over them completely.

"Idiot." She told the teen quietly, resting her head on his chest. "Some promises can be broken you know. You could have at least stayed conscious long enough to have been seduced." James only shifted in response, unconsciously cuddling the fox. "You better remember in the morning." The only noise James made was his slight snore.

James wasn't fully asleep, though. He was only pretending currently. He did not lie about being dead tired and knew Ahri wouldn't give up, so he voided the problem by playing dead. _I'll remember, my little one. But for now, sleep._ His thoughts dragged out the last word as his body caved, letting him drift into a comfortable slumber.

* * *

James woke up first, the sound of his alarm pulling himself back to reality. He groggily sat up and rubbed his eyes with one hand, his other one feeling around on his bed stand for the alarm clock. He found it and pushed the snooze.

James let out a great yawn as he stretched and swung his legs over the bed, the hair covering them pricking up in the cold. He grabbed some clothes from his drawers and wandered over to the bathroom to get his appearance ready to be seen in public.

One quick shave and a fast shower later, James walked out of the bathroom in a fresh T-shirt and pants. Ahri was still sleeping when he entered the room, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets and fur. Every now and then her tails would shift underneath the cover causing waves to appear in the cover.

The sight of the fox girl sleeping in the bed brought back memories of last night. _What am I going to do with you?_ He wondered to himself. It's not like he didn't want a child, but he still had to worry about the future. They weren't in a position where they could take off time to raise a child, but Ahri was right about him wanting to see his daughter again. _You know what, scratch that. How am I going pull this off in the first place?_

James casually checked his watch to find how much time they had left before they had to get going and found he had been standing there for five minutes. He quickly snatched up his bag from where it laid next to the desk and rushed out the bedroom door, only to hesitate and spare Ahri another glance.

"I'll see you tonight, Ahri. I promise that I will do it tonight." James whispered before he turned and left, silently slipping out of the house before running to catch the bus. Even as the thought was fresh on his mind and his will behind it, James wasn't entirely sure he was willing to to put Ahri through the pain of childbirth.

Ahri shifted on the bed as she heard the bus pass outside. She opened her eyes slightly to look at the spot where James had slept, his imprint still visible on the sheets. "I'll hold you to it." She yawned to herself before she too got out of bed for the day. She had secretly been awake the whole time, waking up when James left the bed.

* * *

James stepped out of the dim hallway onto the sunlit streets of Runeterra dressed in his purple Summoners robe. His sudden appearance attracted the attention of several people, Summoners and champions alike. He quickly checked around for anyone he knew before pulling a paper out of his pocket, looking it over, and taking off in the direction of his destination.

James walked through the streets full of people, matching the pace of everyone else as to lose anyone who were overly curious about his arrival. He followed behind a group of Summoners for good measure, splitting off at the corner of the shopping district and the housing areas. Again he had to marvel at how big the city was, all surrounding the institute in the center. He started to wonder if the league had to much power, but quickly shook it off. If a lot of the countries were at war, the league was what was holding it all together.

James was so distracted with his musings he started to wonder, soon realizing what he was doing and stopped. The foot traffic had died down big time as he had left the more public areas, as the teen was now standing in the middle of the champions housing. He glanced around for a street sign so he could regain his bearings before getting distracted by the houses themselves. Most of them were plain, with minor decorations out front to express the owners personal taste. Others were so extravagant you knew exactly who lived there. One of the houses was even completely surrounded by trees and greenery. The house itself was way smaller than average, almost completely hidden in the woodland that growing around it.

"Teemo." James said, looking over the plot of land with a satisfied smirk. "I have to say I'm a fan of what he did to his place. Very fitting." There were multiple kinds of trees that he knew probably wouldn't grow in the same location, ranging from pine to juniper. James could almost imagine that the little guy growing his own food, too.

James pulled the map out of his pocket and quickly checking where teemo's place was on it before continuing down the street, pleased that he hadn't wondered too far off track.

James finally arrived outside his targeted location and stopped outside to survey the area. Ahri's house was minimally decorated with a bird bath in the yard that drained down into a small pond that resembled the shape of a lopsided peanut. While other houses had a wooden fence surrounding the property, Ahri had removed her's for a more open feel. She had left the upper part of the house it's white color and painted the bottom a vibrant red, giving the place a nice contrast to the dark grey shingled roof. On the door hung an old withered Christmas wreath from before she started living with him. All in all, it didn't look bad at all.

James checked down the street for any sign of the fox girl before he walked up to the door and produced another piece of paper and stuck it in the wreath. Inside held a clue to the next part of his little game.

After much consideration throughout the day, James decided he would take Ahri tonight. But being James, he couldn't just push her down on the bed and start fucking her. So he prepared three pieces of paper with two clues and a map (with some help from Sona.) the first paper he left on his bed with a riddle. It was rather easy to solve and Ahri should be on his trail soon, so he had to get away before she got off work and came after him. The second riddle he thought was rather clever, and it put him in a position from where he could observe some of the city without being seen. It also gave him a renewed appreciation for Ahri's glove, allowing him to erase his scent with the help of her magic.

James took off down the street, moving fast and quite. _No need to let the neighbors tip her off that I was here._ He thought to himself as he ran, landing gracefully on his toes and kicking off after he finished compressing his ankle to muffle the sound. _Catch me if you can, my love!_ He thought with glee.

* * *

Ahri stepped out of the rift outside James's house, digging in her pockets to find her keys. She quickly found them and opened the door, announcing her presence cheerfully. "I'm home!" She called. There was no answer. She quickly slipped off her shoes at the door before continuing on.

No one was in the living room watching tv. She found no one down stairs in the man cave. There was nobody to be seen digging in the cabinets for food. James parents weren't napping in their room. James was not in his chair playing video games. The house was empty except for Ahri.

"Their not here." Ahri said dumbfounded, plopping down on the bed. She shot back to her feet when she heard the sound of crinkling paper. She quickly picked up the slightly wrinkled paper and unfolded it, a confident smirk growing on her lips as she read the paper.

 _Let's play a game,_

 _I swear it will be fun._

 _For waiting at the other end,_

 _Is a prize you've already won._

 _I am home, but I am not._

 _I'm surrounded by our friends,_

 _But not those I know well._

 _You were way out of my league,_

 _Until I stepped foot into your life._

 _A roof over our heads,_

 _And our daughter in our arms._

 _By now you know where I am,_

 _so come home my love._

Ahri smiled at how poorly James had tried to make the riddle in the form of a poem, and couldn't help but think it was almost laughable at how easy it was.

"So you want to do it there." Ahri said to herself. "Fine. I'll play ball." She pocketed the paper and opened a rift, entering into it at a run. Already she could feel the anticipation for the hunt building in her.

After a few minutes, Ahri emerged out of the rift into Runeterra, the setting sun splashing the land with red and orange light. Her house stood before her, the light giving the house a welcoming glow.

Ahri approached her house, a feeling of nostalgia coming over her as she looked upon where she once called home. She never really thought she would come to live here again.

Ahri touched the Christmas wreath that still hung on the door, the memory of when she put it up coming to mind. Back then her only friends were other champions like Sona and Wukong. It was awfully lonely sometimes, especially at night. Ahri had grown up in the woods near a village, surrounded by wild life at every turn. When she joined the league, it had been disturbing to suddenly find herself alone at times. She had taken to bringing guys home so she could sleep at night. She hadn't planned on it at first, but she began to enjoy what the men would always do to her in bed. She also discovered she could harvest essence from their sperm, so it was a win win situation.

A soft rustle could be heard as a piece of paper fell out of the wreath. Ahri picked it up off the ground and opened it.

 _A bridge extended,_

 _Reality was bended._

 _A game's no longer a game,_

 _A life no longer the same._

 _An eagle stands watch over our home,_

 _On the place of broken bones._

 _Two existence, one life to live,_

 _Nothing left for me to give._

 _Come to me and claim your reward,_

 _Slay the dragon and sheath the sword._

 _Slay the dragon?_ Ahri thought in confusion. The poem seemed to talk about the time James first came to Runeterra, but that still didn't explain what in the world the last three verses. She flipped over the paper to find a picture of a smiley face over a feather with a white tip. The penmanship was obviously James's.

She scratched her head as she looked at the picture, eventually giving up and looking around. Her prey had taken special care to not leave a trace of his presence, not even leaving behind a scent to follow. She found that part particularly annoying.

Ahri reread the paper again, trying to analyze each word for all it had held. Every time the mention of a dragon caught her attention. It didn't help that he had underlined it and wrote it in a fancy style as if... To... Distract...

"That lousy bastard tricked me!" Ahri exclaimed, pounding her fist on the paper. The last line had been meant to draw her attention and distract her with the promise of the reward she so desperately desired. Which meant that there was only one line that stood out from the rest, the only one that didn't involve his and her interaction.

 _An eagle stands watch over our home,_

 _On the place of broken bones._

"He's there." Ahri whispered to herself. She turned towards the city, almost imagining she could see the man perching on the edge of the building and watching her from afar. A smile spread across her lips as she saw a flash of light, right where he was sitting. "And he knows I'm coming."

* * *

James sat on the corner of the two story building, a mirror in one hand and a flash light in the other. He had discarded his Summoners robe and now wore metallic colored sweat pants and a tee-shirt. "Hope I timed it right." He said over a walky talky he had sitting next to him. It cackled for a few seconds before a familiar furry trickster responded.

"Perfectly. She's on her way now." Teemo. Said over his end. It had been a spur of the moment decision to involve the ranger in his game, but it had worked out pretty well. Now he just owed the fuzz ball a drink.

"Go into radio silence." James commanded, waiting for conformation before clicking it off. He cast one more look in the direction of Ahri's home before turning his eyes to the sunset. The great ball of fire was no longer visible, hidden behind the curve of the planet. The last of the light it cast painted that side of the sky in vain, doing its best to hold back the night for just a few more minutes. In the distance he could see the institute, it's lights standing out against the rapidly dimming sky behind it.

A slight breeze brought the scent of cinnamon and sweat to him, bringing the presence of his much awaited companion to his attention. "Hope you found me alright." He said, patting the ground next to him. "In fact, you might just be a bit early."

"Well, it wasn't hard." Ahri commented, taking a seat next to him. "Sometimes I wonder if your actually trying to get away, or do you want to be caught?" James let out a chuckle at her accusation.

"It's hard to run away from the one I love the most." He said, pulling up his knee and resting his arm on it. He tried to give a charming smile, but he must have failed pretty badly because Ahri burst out laughing. "Am I that bad at this?" He asked, his face faltering as his efforts failed in his girlfriend's mirth.

Ahri continued the laugh, her voice brimming with energy and amusement. It was the most beautiful sound James had ever heard, even if it was directed at him.

"I- I'm sorry." Ahri breathed, trying to calm down. "It's just doing something like that isn't your style."

It took Ahri a minute to get herself under control, her laugh being reduced down to the occasional giggle. James sighed, figuring that it wouldn't die down completely until he did something else.

So he kissed her. James snatched Ahri into his arms and fell backwards, landing with her on top of his torso and their legs still sitting on the edge. One of his hands wrapped around her back while the other gently pulled her head to his, where the two of them put their lips to work.

Ahri was enjoying herself immensely, pushing her tongue into James mouth as they depend the kiss. She had taken a hold of the sides of his head and was gripping him firmly, the pressure on the back of her head telling her that James was of the same mind set. James rolled a little away from the edge, pinning Ahri beneath him. James gave her a mischievous grin before continuing. Ahri's eyes widened when she felt James's tongue invade her mouth, copying what she did. The pair of them fought for dominance as their tongues swirled around each other, neither end giving ground and over eager to gain the upper end. They eventually separated for air, a thin line of saliva linking their panting mouths.

"First time?" Ahri asked, out of breath. She sat up and James got off of her.

"And if that was the first time did something like this?" James asked. Ahri smiled sultrily.

"Than you need lessons." She rested a finger on her chin, her smile not fading. "You kissed like a hungry animal." She cleaned forward and crawled a step to him, pushing him down and onto his back. "Let me show you how to please me." She kissed him again, this time gently prodding him with her tongue to open up. James allowed her in at the same time suddenly sitting up and swinging her around so that he held her in his arms on his lap, copying her motions while cradling her. Ahri was caught off guard, letting James have more access than she originally intended. The boy's tongue gently explored her mouth, rubbing up against hers occasionally. Ahri's eyes slowly closed as James showed no signs of stopping, choosing to enjoy the bliss instead of fight back.

James on the other hand had no idea of what he was doing, relying on instinct to communicate his passion. He felt Ahri wrap an arm around his neck and her pull herself closer to him and hugged her closer to his body. Ahri let out a quite moan of pleasure. Her free hand began to slide down his back, traveling down to his waist and beyond. James used his shoulder to push the arm away, ending up rolling the two of them onto their sides.

James broke away and Ahri tried to follow, only to be stopped by a finger being placed on her lips. "Not here." James told her, reluctantly removing his arms from around her and standing to help her to her feet. "Let's go home."

Ahri grinned and let James help her to her feet. "Your nefarious plan is working." She said, stepping closer so she was pressed against him. "Have I ever told you I love your plans?"

"No." James said lovingly. "We were to busy telling each other I love you." He leaned in, causing Ahri to turn her head, expecting another kiss. Instead he pushed her away and jumped to the next building, using his agility to the fullest.

"And where are you going?" Ahri called, giving chase.

"I said not here, didn't I?" He called back, hopping onto the rooftop of a bakery and narrowly dodging a smokestack. "Race you!" He started to run faster, recklessly jumping onto another roof.

"You better not break your leg again!" Ahri jumped and spirit rushed next to him, matching his speed as they played on the city rooftops.

James laughed like a maniac, enjoying every minute of their reckless race. He spied a building with a slanted roof by the end of the block and changed directions, making his way for that one. Ahri over shot and gave chase on another roof. James made it to the slanted roof and slid down, landing on the street below and rolled. He didn't pull it off perfectly and had to catch himself with his hand, giving Ahri enough time to catch up. He ignored the crowd and took off running, Ahri hot on his tail.

"Nice landing, but you missed someone." Ahri shouted, drawing next to him.

"I did? Could have sworn I got them." James answered, sliding under a tourist while Ahri spirit rushed past him.

The pair of them made it to the residential area in less than three minutes from starting to race, at which point James slowed to a walk to catch his breath. As like before, there was less people here than near the institute.

"You just wanted to run on the rooftops again, didn't you?" Ahri asked, slowing her stride to a walk to match his.

"Yeah." James replied, not even trying to deny it. "Good news is that we are almost to your house."

"Then will we finally have sex?"

"That was the plan. No parents to stop us, no friends to interrupt us." James cracked his back, letting out a sigh. "And no physical injury to hurt me. Yeah, I think I'm ready."

"Still think that's an excuse." Ahri said. She didn't think that Marry would really stop them if she came upon the scene.

James just shrugged. "Believe what you want. At least I'm not going to force you to wait till marriage."

A silence came over them as couple came to a stop outside Ahri's house, the task ahead of him weighing heavily on James. He looked forward to the pleasure, sure, but could he even come close to giving Ahri what she deserved? As if sensing his self doubt, Ahri grabbed his hand and led him to the door.

"You'll do fine, James." She said reassuringly. "It will come naturally if you just want it. Now then." Ahri unlocked the door and pushed it open. "I think it's time to finally welcome you home."

The house was a one story building with two bedrooms and one bathroom. The dining room was connected to the living room, a vase full of what remained of wilted flowers. The living room had a single couch under a large window, a wooden coffee table with a glass cover over the intricate design in the middle. A TV sat in a wooden entertainment center, one of the cabinet stood open to reveal a bunch of CD cases. A bathroom was visible down the hallway. Clothing laid on some of the furniture. A cup of water sat on the end table next to the couch, a layer of dust covering the outside of the glass. A lamp with glass shade decorated in an autumn woods also sat on the table. Two bookcases stood on the other side of the room, covered in just about everything other than books.

"Sorry it's a mess." Ahri apologized. "I haven't been in this house for almost five months." She slipped off her shoes on her way across the room, making her way down the hallway. James left his shoes at the door before following her.

James found the fox girl sitting patiently on on her bed, her sleeves of her dress already removed and lying on the floor. Letting his instincts take over, James crossed the distance between them in two strides and pushed her onto the bed. Ahri let out a purr as he began nuzzle his head into the crook of her shoulder, leaving small kisses where his lips came close to her. One of his hands had a firm grasp on her waist while the other dragged her dress up, brushing against her breast gently. His knees were on the bed as supported himself over her in a straddle position.

"Are you sure this is your first time?" Ahri asked, a purr resonating in her throat. "Your hands seem to know just what to do."

James took his face away from her neck and planted a quick, passionate kiss on her lips. "Silence. You'll ruin the mood." He kissed her again, his hand on her waist moved south and pulled her waist up and between his legs. His other arm was pinned under Ahri's back, his hand supporting her head. Ahri's legs wrapped around his waist, hugging him tightly as her hands pulled at his shirt. James broke away from her lips just long to frantically remove his shirt. Ahri took the time to remove her dress in turn, revealing that she wore nothing but light blue panties. "You never struck me as the light blue kind of girl." James teased, causing the girl to blush.

"I-I just thought I w-would wear your favorite color." She stammered, averting her gaze to the side. "There's no reason to tease me about it."

James chuckled. "Your adorable when your flustered." He cooed into her ear, leaning over her. His arms were positioned right next to her shoulders, keeping his torso in the air. James gave the girl a gentle nip on the ear before he put his plan into action.

James's arms suddenly shot under Ahri, completely catching the girl off guard. She laughed as she found herself spinning as he rolled, coming to a stop on top of him. James had this great big smile on his face, the one he used when did something great. She had always wondered if it was full of pride or affection. She now knew it was both.

"Take it away, Ahri." James said, laying his arms so he was spread eagle on the bed. "Or I'll take back control."

Ahri's smile turned to a sultry grin. She leaned back and sat on James's legs, giving him a great view as started to slowly pull down his pants. Once she got them off his waist she kicked them away before she stopped.

"Someone's excited." She teased, tracing the bulge that was his erection in his underwear. His cock twitched at her touch, causing her grin to widen. The male's face flushed but he refused to look away. Ahri chuckled, laying her hands on his chest as she gave him another hiss, her eyes intoxicating him as she sat back, her hands gently tracing a path down his sides. She felt him shiver underneath her.

Ahri slowly removed the boxers from James's waist, throwing behind her to the floor as she proceeded to her main target. James's cock was nice and firm, hardening at her touch when she began to stroke it. Ahri enjoyed the slight tremble that shot through James body every now and then, pleased in the knowledge that she was making him feel good. She began to play with one of her breasts, not breaking eye contact for a second with her mate.

James on the other hand didn't know how to think, completely entranced by the woman on top of him. She had a firm grip on him as she continued to beat him off at a steady rhythm. Her eyes were heavy lidded and intoxicating, holding him in place on the bed with a look of pleasure. James eyes started to move down her body, stopping momentarily on her bountiful breasts. Ahri noticed, her grin widening and the amount of energy she used in her motions increased. James groaned in pleasure, just barely keeping enough thought process to stay aware of what Ahri was feeling. A thought crossed his mind and he started to act, planting his hands on her waist and scooting her forward and causing her to fall onto him. She stopped moving her hands momentarily out of surprise at her sudden change in position. James took advantage of her lack of movement wrap one of his arms around her head and pull her right into another kiss, running his other hand down her front and into her panties at the same time. The fox girls eyes widened at his unusual forwardness, only to narrow in pleasure as she felt his middle finger push into her folds. James began to rub her, pushing his finger around in her vigina in an attempt to pleasure her as much as she did to him. He began to move his finger in and out, judging his speed and technique off of the sounds she made. Ahri began to move her hands again, matching his pace. Her moans became more frequent,especially when James slipped another finger into her and began to pump more fiercely. Ahri began to move her waist in time to his hand, slamming down with an effort to push his fingers deeper inside of her.

James began to feel pressure building in his rock hard cock and clenched, trying to hold for more time. "A-Ahri." He groaned pushing her away from him so he could speak. "I'm almost at my limit." Ahri didn't seem to hear him at first, the lust present in her eyes overwhelming. Her eyes then flickered as she process what he said. She slowed down her pace to a stop and tightened her grip. His cock convulsed in her hand, twitching and throbbing. Both pain and pressure built up in him, pushing him to the breaking point. But nothing came out.

"Oh no." Ahri said, squeezing a bit harder. Damb was she stronger than she looked. "You can't cum until I do."

"Yes ma'am." James said quickly. Ahri waited for the pressure to subside before she released him, moving her hand away from his cock and grasping the wrist of the hand that was still getting her off.

"Valiant try." She told him, pulling his hand away from her. "But let me show you how to pleasure a girl." She replaced his hand on her breast with a playful wink before she slid her waist up onto his stomach. She sat up and steadied herself with one hand, the other reaching behind her to grab a hold of him once more, positioning herself right above him before slowly easing herself down. James then melted.

Okay, he didn't really melt. But his brain cells sure did. As Ahri began to bounce up and down, all he could feel was immense pleasure and the soft skin of the fox girls breast. He tried to find words for what he was feeling, but she began to squeeze him, tightening around him and causing him to just stop thinking. The alluring sound of Ahri's gentle pants as she began to speed up drove him crazy, bringing out a primal beast that chased away the innocent and inexperienced James. Now lust drove him, completely taking over his thoughts and getting rid of the awkwardness. While Ahri was enjoying herself as she was, James decided to change positions. The fox girl let out a cry as he suddenly yanked her into a roll, landing on top of her and pushing her legs apart. James began to rub her thigh with his free hand while he still fondled her breast with the other, thrusting his hips into her at a frenzy that matched the raging desire in him. Ahri's surprise dissipated quickly, being replaced by pleasure. Her cries of pleasure grew louder, threatening to alert the neighbors in the buildings next door. She began to call his name, urging him to thrust harder. James obliged, jamming his cock inside her as hard and fast as he could.

Eventually the lust began to wear off, giving James more time to think of what he was doing. He didn't slow down or falter, however. Instead he pressed his lips to her free breast, tenderly sucking on it as he fucked her.

"I'm going to cum! Just a little more!" Ahri cried, wrapping her arms and legs around James as she neared her climax.

Unfortunately for her, James had other ideas. He slowed his pace to a moderate speed, thrusting hard but slower as to pleasure her but just barely enough to keep her from climaxing. Ahri's cries degraded to a moan that escaped her every time James pushed himself all the way in, pushing up against her womb.

"What's wrong?" James teased, tracing a circle around her dampened nipple. "I thought you were going to cum." He flicked her erect nipple, causing a small tremor of pleasure to go through her body.

"No fair!" Ahri moaned. "Don't tease me now, especially when I'm so close!" She locked eyes with him, her eyes pleading with him. It wasn't an easy thing to pull off puppy dog eyes while moaning in pleasure.

James could tell how close she was. Each time he thrust in, her pussy would make a slopping sound. She was so wet she was practically dripping on the bed. Even so, James knew he had her and was fully planning to use it to his advantage. After a particularly hard thrust, he began to suck on her breast again, swirling his tongue around her erect nipple and occasionally flicking it. He picked up the pace with his thrusts and switched breasts, sensing that he himself was near his limit. Ahri's moans turned back into cries of pleasure as the fox girl wrapped her legs around him and moved in time with him, pulling herself onto his cock as he thrust in and relaxing when he pulled out.

"Don't you dare stop on me again!" Ahri screamed, her climax approaching even faster. James gripped her firmly as he thrust as hard as he could, unable to stop her from bouncing whenever he slammed into her. Eventually he gave up with sucking her breasts and just fondled them, squeezing her soft boobs that glistened with sweat and saliva.

"I can't stop even if I wanted to!" James called back. The pressure was building in his groin area again, his cock hardening to the point were it was painful. "I'm going to cum Ahri!"

"then cum! Give me your best shot!" Ahri cried at the top of her lungs, unable to hold against his relentless assault. James felt her go, her wet love juices pouring out of her at an astounding rate. He stopped holding himself back and slammed into her one last time, shooting a massive supply of his seed into her womb. Ahri let out a satisfied sigh before releasing him, letting all her limbs collapse onto the bed. James waited for a moment to make sure he had finished releasing everything he had before he pulled out and collapsed on the bed next to her.

The pair of them laid on the bed for what felt like forever, content to just be in each other's presence for a while. After an hour James was about to fall asleep and Ahri pulled a cover over them, cuddling up to his chest and wrapping an arm around him. Their legs intertwined as they shared a lazy kiss.

"I love you Ahri." James said, resting his forehead against her's.

"I love you too James. For now and forever."

 **Hey guys, it's the author. First, I would like to apologize about the long wait. This chapter didn't come naturally and I've been kicking it around for the whole month. Expect the next chapter to come faster.**

 **second, I would like to apologize for taking this chapter down shortly after first publishing it. I had forgotten to italicize the final copy since I type this up on a writing program on my iPad. Bonus feat, learned to use the page breaks. I'm going to go back and fix that on my previous chapters.**

 **third, I would like to apologize about the shoddy lemon. It's my first work, so I'm pretty sure it not high quality.**

 **finally, I would like to thank you all for supporting me, and I hope you enjoy my story.**


	17. Epilogue

The foxes tails twitched as it stalked through the grass, her white body making no noise as she crept closer to her target. The man laid apparently sleeping peacefully against the Sakura tree that stood in his backyard, his chest rising and falling gently. His familiar scent drifted to her nose on a warm breeze, further confirming that it was him. Once she was within three yards she paused, tensing her back legs as she prepared to pounce.

Her white body shot towards the man like an arrow, skimming over the grass as she flew through the air. She crossed the distance in three bounds, a smile of glee flashing on her muzzle as she barreled right into his stomach.

At least that was her plan. At the last moment the man's eyes flew open and his hands shot out and gently caught the young fox before she could pull off her attack.

"Foiled again, Echo?" James asked, chuckling whole heartedly. He set the fox down next to him, blinking away his weariness. "I was almost gone too. But their ain't no rest for the wicked, huh?"

"Your hardly anything worth calling wicked." Echo said. In the split second that James's eyes were closed, the fox had disappeared and had been replaced by a twelve year old girl. "You're too nice for me to call you that."

Over the years since she was born, Echo had grown into a fine young girl. Her long white hair ran down her right shoulder, seeming to gleam like silver in the summer sun. Her sapphire eyes were lazily half lidded as she laid against the tree next to him. Her slim but strong arms laid at her sides, just above the pockets of her dress. The dress itself was a white kimono with red seams that they had picked out for her birthday. It had been a crowning achievement in James's thirty two years of life to put such a smile on his little girl's face.

Echo smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, her hands sliding into her pockets. Too late did James sense the danger and tried to dodge. Before he could sit fully up the plastic knife was at his throat.

"Thirteen." Echo said proudly, removing the toy weapon.

"And twelve losses." James said, lying back down. "Want to make a bet we will tie again tomorrow?"

"Hmm." Echo absentmindedly twirled her knife between her fingers. "There's six more days left in the month. Seems a bit risky with the current score."

"True." James said, scratching his chin. The stubble of his beard was growing back. "But the riskier the bet, the funner the competition."

Echo laughed, her voice ringing out in an almost musical tone. "Fine, we'll go your way. Catch me if you can."

James chuckled. "Bring it. I have a plan."

"That's not a good sign." Both father and daughter jumped at the unexpected voice. Ahri stood leaning against the tree just out of sight. "We always seem to lose when you have a plan."

"I don't know." James said, patting Echo on the head. "This one inherited my cleverness. The proof is that she got me again today."

"She did?" Ahri asked, her voice filling with pride. James nodded and Echo's eyes brightened. It was a real achievement to get her father to admit defeat, even if only temporarily. "Ohh, my little girl is all grown up then." She sat down on her knees and pulled her daughter in for a hug, burring her face in her hair and messing it up.

"Mom! Let go of me!" Echo cried, her face flushing in embarrassment. "It took me forever to comb my hair!"

"With a little help from your dad, hmmm?" Ahri teased, pulling her face out of her daughters hair and resting her chin on her shoulder. Echo was silent, her blush deepening. James had indeed brushed her hair for her, spending no small amount of time doing so. She found it therapeutic as he was always gentle and managed to brush the base of her fox ears just right whenever he passed them. She swore he did it on purpose.

After a moment Ahri released her daughter. "Dinner's ready." She announced. James got to his feet and stretched his back before he turned and pulled her into a hug. They shared a quick kiss before they separated and began to head inside.

"So what's on the menu today, flaming water?" James asked, causing him and Echo to laugh at the memory.

"I only did that once!" Ahri said defensively. They started to laugh harder when she puffed out her cheeks and turned red.

"Ahahaha. You never change, Ahri." James told her, reigning himself in. "I wish this would last forever."

"In our case it will." Echo chimed in, walking happily between her parents into the dinning room. "Kitsune are immortal, after all."

James's smile faltered for a moment. "Yes. Yes they are." He said quietly.

* * *

James walked down the white hall for what he hoped to be the last time, his old bones aching as he shambled as fast as he could. He had to disappear before it was too late. He came out on earth in abandoned ally, tripping and falling onto the black concrete. He managed to get to his feet with great effort.

"And where do you think your going?" A voice asked behind him.

"Leave me, Echo." James rasped. He used the wall as support and continued to move forward.

"I will not leave my own father in such a state." Echo easily outran James at a walk and stopped him. Echo had grown into a magnificent woman, gaining her mothers beauty along with her fathers reasoning. Her strong but slender body was that of a huntress, excelling in the hunt. Even thought she had reached an age where human women would start to slow down, she looked as if she was in the prime of her life. In a way, she would always be like that.

"Go home to your siblings." James ordered, trying to raise to his full hight but failed and fell into a coughing fit. "I must leave before it's too late."

"To late for what?" Echo asked, helping her father sit down and pounded his back gently. "Your seventy five years old! Your in no state to go anywhere. Just come home before mom comes home from work and gets worried."

"Echo, I'm ashamed of you." James said. "You should know why I'm leaving. It's because of my age. Kitsune never age, being spirits in their own right. You've probably never seen the hurt that's Ahri's going through as she watches me slowly waste away. She's been hiding it well for the last decade or so, but I know her too well. My very existence is causing her pain, and I can't just stand by and watch it happen. I must leave, or risk her dying with me."

Echo's face softened. "Your wrong. I did notice." She sat down next to him, her clothes causing him to remember back to the days they spent beneath the Sakura tree. She was wearing a dress that looked just like the one from when she was young. "But now I'm ashamed of you. Mom is hurting because your aging, yes, but it's not how you think. She isn't ashamed of you. It's her love that is wounding her. She treasures you so much that she is hurt because your time is coming to an end. She doesn't want to let you go, and that's why she feels sad. But at least she's trying to spend as much time as possible with you, even as you try to run away."

"But what of when I'm gone?" James shot back. "The more you cling to something as it dies, the more it hurts when it's finally gone. If I create some distance, she won't hurt as much."

"But you will hurt more." Echo argued. "She is smart enough to know that. You two share such a bond that when one gets hurt, the other is hurt more."

James fell silent. For once in his very, very long life, he realized his plan was a bad one. "Do you mean to say that I'm the one that's hurting her by thinking this way?" He asked, looking at his old and gnarled hands.

"Yes." Echo said. "Come home with me, father. Stop worrying about the future. The three of us were raised by you, so we will look after mom after your gone. Just don't leave until the end. Please." A single tear ran down her face.

James was silent for a moment. "Alright." He finally said gruffly. "Just promise me. Promise me that you'll help Ahri for all that comes next. I want your word."

"I promise."

* * *

Four figures stood on a grassy hill about a mile away from the city, watching as a coffin was slowly lowered into the earth. Silent tears poured to the ground, but not a single one dared to make a sound. They stood tall, the last words of the man in the coffin still burnt into their minds.

"Stand tall for me." He had wrote in his will. "Never lower your head. I'm not leaving you knowing that you'll break like fragile glass as soon as I'm gone. I raised strong, proud children."

"As I am gone, I have nothing left to give you but my words. You can't hear me now, but I'm laughing because I know you'll hang onto this piece of scrap paper as if it were a holy artifact."

"To Ahri, by beloved fox. I loved you from the moment we met, I know this now. I've protected you faithful for these many, many years. Now I need you to protect my memory. My body and mind may be gone, but my love stays as long as you remember me."

"To Echo, my oldest daughter. I know of your dream. I never told you this in life, but know that you will always have my blessing. The league would be greatly honored to have you amongst our ranks."

"To Cross, my intelligent son. It pains me even now to never be able to play chess against you again. I've never had such a powerful opponent, nor one so successful so young. I trust you will pass on all I have taught you along with what you have learned. Continue to learn in my place. A mind is a terrible thing to waste on sorrow."

"And finally to Kyra, my youngest daughter. Know that I treasured our time together, for raising you was one of my greatest achievements. I'll miss your voice and your songs. I wish you were around when Sona was, you two would have gotten along great. I have two requests for you. I want you to sing for me, give me a song to ease my spirit as it leaves. I will hear you. I then want you to continue your music, spreading it's magic for as long as you live."

The four of them had memorized James's last words, their hearts holding onto each and every syllable. As they filled in the hole, Kyra sang for her father one last time. She sang the songs she wrote just for him, in this final goodbye.

 _Broken body,_

 _Old and weary._

 _You have lived a good life,_

 _Long and merry._

 _You gaze on your home,_

 _How long it has been._

 _You know your story is about to close,_

 _And you think of your only sin._

 _The sin is known,_

 _But no one believes._

 _The sin is long coming,_

 _It does nothing but deceive._

 _The sin we pass to our children,_

 _But they never know it._

 _It is the sin of leaving them behind,_

 _For fear of it breeds ignorant._

 _The sin is final passage,_

 _For bringing mortal sorrow._

 _For when you go to sleep today,_

 _And won't be back tomorrow._

 _Life is short,_

 _Don't waste it._

 _For you never know when you die,_

 _And will never Finnish it._

she took a shaky breath before continuing.

 _A proof of life,_

 _Is the pain I feel._

 _A proof of life,_

 _Are the forces that make me kneel._

 _A proof of life,_

 _Is the blood I bleed._

 _A proof of life,_

 _Is the heart I need._

 _A proof of life,_

 _In the eyes I see._

 _A proof of life,_

 _Is inside of me._

Her tears were falling harder, but she pulled herself together for the last song.

 _What does it mean to be human?_

 _Does it mean you can die?_

 _Does it mean you can be hurt,_

 _When a loved one says goodbye?_

 _Why do we like,_

 _Our mortal flesh?_

 _Logic dictates,_

 _It doesn't mesh._

 _In our bodies,_

 _We get hurt, we bleed._

 _Our bodies fail us,_

 _In our time of need._

 _The answer is hard,_

 _And often forgot._

 _In our quest for reasons,_

 _This answer is the one that is sought._

 _Its because we can laugh,_

 _Its because we can cry._

 _Because it doesn't end,_

 _When we say goodbye._

 _Its because were content to live,_

 _In our lives drowned in pain._

 _Because as long as we can love,_

 _We will stay on this crazy train._

Her work done, Kyra fell silent. Echo grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "He knew, you know." Kyra said quietly. "He knew what he was leaving behind."

"I know." Echo said, pulling her sister closer. They cried harder.

The four of them stayed on the hill for a long time, long after the workers left. Together they cried till they could shed no more tears. Then they stood silent.

A warm breeze carrying a familiar scent blew past them, touching each of them gently on the shoulder before disappearing. "Thank you. Goodbye." It whispered before disappearing from existence forever. The air was still once more.

 **Hey guys, it's John here. As the author of this story, I believe I can add this one to the list of my best works. I would like to thank all of you for your support to the story, for us writers it means a lot. At the start I never expected such a following, but I'm pleased that so many of you enjoyed the story.**

 **In truth, I had this ending planed for almost a whole month (yeah, I was planning the guys monumental passing while I kicked around the idea of a bed scene. Call me a sick bastard all you want.) it didn't occur to me till the end that kitsune (fox spirits) are pretty much immortal, so I came upon two options. Some how turn James immortal or give him an ending that I would be jealous of. In the end I didn't find a way to let him live, so I chose a few flash moments of his life that I'd want to share with you.**

 **So now I say this is the end of this fic, and what a run of its been. Check out my other fics if you're a fan, go find another one if your not. To those of you who skipped everything to check out the end first, you're missing out big time. Go read the rest.**

 **new note. There will be a follow up story. Should be up on Monday.**


	18. Chapter 18 Christmas Special

**Hey guys, it's John. It's been forever since I updated this story, and I know it's listed as completed. But for old time sake, I'm bringing this back for Christmas. Just this once, okay? And to any new or return readers who are crying over the last chapter, cheer up. As long as there are readers still reading about him, and people still loving all the trouble Ahri is causing him, James is still very much alive. All of you who loved, still love, and will occasionally return to the story, all of you are the life and soul of James. Thank you for keeping my favorite son alive.**

 **Now then, all of you pillows and all of you have your beloved pillow gather around for a very special Christmas tale. Lemon Warning! If you don't know what that is by now, turn back now.**

"Deck tha halls with lovely fwollers, Trolo lo lo lo, la la la... Tequila!" Ahri sang with her drink in hand, swaying to the music Sona was playing. She was in a red dress with white fluffy trimming that hugged tightly to her frame, showing of her slender, curved body. It only covered her torso and hugged her waist, with a hole in the back that that allowed her tails to wave free behind her. Her delicate arms were wrapped around her husband who was sitting on the couch in front of her. She nearly spilled her drink on his lap, but James took it out of her hand before that happened.

"Babe, why don't you take a seat. You're a little unsteady there." James told his wife. "Sona, could you take this?" Sona smiled and nodded, taking her fingers away from her beloved strings long enough to take the tequila from James. As soon as she took the glass from the man she drank it before surprising him with a quick peck on the lips. "Wa- wa- Sona?" James gasped like a fish, the blue haired girl only responding with a mischievous smile and a wink.

"Hey, that's no fair! I want some too!" Ahri practically jumped over the couch and kissed him roughly, pushing him down into the cushions and pinning him down. She straddled his waist, her hands grasping the sides of her husband's head as her tongue pushed through his lips and into James's mouth, his tongue rushing to meet hers. Ahri moaned in ecstasy, allowing her hands to wander away his head, beginning to unbutton his shirt.

James grabbed one of Ahri's hands and brought it around his neck, his other hand dropping below his wife's waist. Ahri purred, breaking away from the kiss for a second to give him a sultry smile. Then she continued kissing James passionately, grinding against his waist while steadying herself by placing her hands on his shoulders. They were completely oblivious that they were being watched by Sona, lost in the moment of love, lust, and alcohol.

"Mommy." One word from their daughter and the married couple shot apart, adjusting their clothing to cover their bodies. A seven year old girl with white hair stood in the hallway, rubbing her sapphire eyes. She was in her pink pajamas, having just come from her room.

"What is it sweetheart?" James asked, approaching the little girl and kneeling.

"I thought I heard some strange noises." Echo told him, still rubbing her eye. James mentally cursed himself for being careless.

"What noises?" James asked, putting on a convincing look of confusion. Silently he prayed that Ahri wasn't drunk enough to say anything stupid.

"It was sounded like Mommy was moaning. Is she okay?" Echo asked.

Ahri laughed. "I'm perfectly fine, Pup. Daddy was just making me feel really good." She hung over the back of the couch, giving her daughter a smile that was somewhere between reassuring and carefree. "Sorry if we disturbed your sleep sweetheart."

Sona came over to Echo and put a hand on her shoulder, leading the child back to her room. The heard her start playing a lullaby for the little girl a few moments later.

"Well, that was a mood kill." James said, flopping down on the couch next to his wife.

"I can fix that real quick." Ahri replied, wrapping her arms around him and swinging herself onto his lap, dragging his head in and kissing him. James responded by wrapping his arm around her back to steady her, his other hand resting on her cheek. He gently lowered her onto the couch and slid out from under her. Their positions reversed, James tenderly kissed Ahri with his arms still underneath her. The kitsune wrapped her arms around him, enjoying the bliss of his soft, gentle attention.

James broke off the kiss and looked lovingly into her eyes. "I love you Ahri." He to told her, kissing her nose gently before moving to her lips.

"I love you too, James." She met his lips, love and affection flowing out of her. James met her with equal passion. Even after years together, the passion hasn't faded nor weakened between them. If anything, it had strengthened along with their bond. They truly loved each other from the bottom of their hearts.

Sona reentered the room a few minutes later to find her best friend curled up with her husband under a blanket of fur that was her tails, cuddling as close to him as possible. They were lying on their sides, Ahri with her head tucked under his chin and her body in his firm grasp. She couldn't see their lower bodies due to the tails, but she knew their legs were intertwined.

She let out a silent sigh, a feeling of loneliness coming over her. Sona was envious of her friend, wishing she too could be held like that, wishing she too could be kissed so lovingly. Sure, she sometimes playfully took his hand or kissed him, but that was mostly to get a rise out of Ahri. She would never think of stealing James from her. Would she?

Sona entered the kitchen and grabbed the eggnog from the fridge, pouring herself a glass before putting the carton back. James was twenty six, going on twenty seven. He was quite a handsome man now, with a kind and strong heart beating in his chest. He was clever, smart, not overly strong, but he was still able to keep up with his families inhuman speed. If only another person she knew was like that.

"Hey Sona, whatcha doing?" Ahri called from the couch looking over the top to see her friend. Sona indicated to the glass in her hand, unable to speak with her strings. "Ah. Well come over here, we got something to talk about."

Sona brought her eggnog and sat down in the arm chair by the fire place, turned around to face the couch earlier in the evening. Ahri and James were separated, but they still sat close together. Again, a spike of loneliness stabbed at Sona.

"We've been talking..." James started, seeming a little uncomfortable. Ahri took over for him, giving him an encouraging smile.

"We've been talking lately, and it's come to our attention that you've gotten... a little flirty." Ahri stated. "I used to write it off as a joke, but I'm not so sure now. You no longer smile or laugh afterwards, and in the contrary, you seem really depressed lately."

Sona's hands went to her strings and she tried to express herself but kept faltering, her heart and mind in confusion. Ahri, who rather did not like trying to interpret the music, handed her a white board. Sona sighed and accepted it.

"I'm not trying to take him from you." Sona wrote. "I'll admit that I'm a little lonely, but it's not like I want to steal your husband."

"That's not when we're asking." Jame said. "Sona, do you like me. No if, ands, or buts."

Sona was silent, fidgeting with her dress. She couldn't bring herself to look them in the eye. Her hand shaking, she picked up the marker.

"Yes. I'm sorry." Sona wrote, hiding her face behind the whiteboard. Her tears were starting to appear in the corner of her eyes. She didn't want them to know. She didn't want to be that person. She knew she would only get hurt by feeling this way, but she couldn't help it. Fear, sadness, jealousy, and relief mixed together with half a dozen other feelings she couldn't recognize. Her mouth moved but no words could be heard. Even without a voice, Ahri and James could tell what she was trying to scream.

Two pairs of arms pulled her into a hug, her best friend on her left, the man she selfishly loved on her right. She cried, the whiteboard falling from her hands and clattering to the ground. She felt James pull her against his chest, his hands holding her tightly and running up and down her back in an attempt to soothe her. She cried even harder, hiding her head in his shoulder. A warm weight laid on her back as Ahri wrapped her into a hug of her own.

It took a long time for Sona's tears to stop falling. When she finally stopped, she felt exhausted. She was curled up on James's lap with his arms around her, Ahri hugging her on the other side. Just for a moment, she felt like for the first time in her life she was being embraced by a mother and a father. She hadn't felt this way since Lestara, her adopted mother, was alive. Once again, she suddenly felt a pang of loneliness.

"Sona." Ahri whispered in her friends ear, drawing her attention. "I love James very much. He's done wonders for me, more than any human I've come across in my very long life. I understand why you want him. And just for tonight, in the spirit of Christmas, I'm willing to share him."

"Ahri," James started.

"James." Ahri interrupted, silencing him with a determined look. Then her eyes softened, understanding filling them in its place. "Please. I'm not asking you to cheat on me. Me and Sona have been friends for a long time, and she's in very much the same shape I was years ago. Just one night James. Let her join us for tonight." Ahri pleaded.

James was caught. He desperately wanted to stay loyal to Ahri, not wanting to betray her. But nor could he ignore Sona. She was his close friend too, and to see her in very much the same state Ahri was years ago back at the school pulled at his heart strings like she pulled at the strings of her instrument. He looked at the blue haired girl, her eyes sparkling with hope and fear. She was beautiful. James turned his eyes to Ahri. Her eyes were still soft and caring, not a trace of anger or jealousy in them. She nodded.

 _You're killing me Ahri_. James thought, already doubting what he was about to do.

"You don't have to do this." Sona's voice said in my head, longing and reluctance in her tone. Surprised, James stared at her for a second before realizing it was her. "I know you don't want me. I appreciate the kindness you've shown me already. Please don't strain yourself for my sake." Fresh tears started to well up in the corner of her eyes and she smiled.

"Oh Sona. I'm sorry." James pulled her in and kissed her. Sona's eyes widened in shock before slowly closing. The tears ran down her cheek, only to dry and disappear.

Ahri watched her best friend kiss her husband, her kind grin stretching to a sultry one. She licked her lips in anticipation before she pushed them apart, taking a kiss from James passionately and pushed him onto his back before backing out. Sona moved in, catching on quickly to what the mischievous fox was up to. She had her kiss, then passed the guy to Ahri. Ahri pulled James face into a kiss, moving her hips and straddling one of his legs. Sona put her hands on his face and pulled his mouth to hers, starting to grind her hips on his side. The girls continued to share James, each claiming half of his body for themselves. It was when they both started to to run their hands down his body and towards his crotch when James finally broke free, gasping for air. The girls stopped, each of them looking longingly into his eyes.

 _I'm fucked_. James thought immediately. "I think we should move, there's not enough room on the couch. And the children..."

"Won't hear a thing." Ahri replied, the girls both grinned. "We already warded the walls of their room to keep out noise. They won't hear a thing." Ahri went for another kiss but James blocked it with hand.

"The couch is not big enough." He said firmly. A frown flickered across Ahri's face for a second, only to be replaced with a grin of mischief and desire.

"All right then." She said seductively. She rose from the couch and slipped her dress off, never breaking eye contact with James. She wore no undergarments underneath, her tails fanning out behind her nude body. James drunk in the sight of her smooth, soft skin, her perfectly curved hips and breasts. She made no attempt to hide herself. "Go on James. Once you give her your attention, you can have mine." She squeezed her breasts, further tempting her husband.

Sona, not to be outdone, rose from the couch, pulling James to his feet and into her arms. She kissed him, one arm wrapped around him while the other pulled the shoulders of the dress down, allowing her dress fall to the ground. She wore a light blue panties and no bra, not like she planned to keep them on for long. She shook her hips in anticipation. James placed one arm around her body, the other hand resting on her hips.

Ahri came up from behind James and hugged him, grinding her nether region against his ass. Her hands nimbly undid his pant button and slipped them off, leaving his boxers on. She continued to grind against him from the back while Sona moved her hips side to side against his crotch. When her lust reached its peak, Ahri grabbed the hem of James shirt and started pulling it up. James and Sona broke apart as James stripped off his shirt and throwing it off. Ahri grabbed the cushions off of the couch and threw them to the floor, followed shortly by the covers and pillows they had kept out in the living room where they had been planning to sleep. It had taken her but seconds to do this, and one more second to tackle her husband to the ground. She immediately started kissing him and grinding against him voraciously. Sona followed and tried to push Ahri off of James, her lust completely driving her. The girls fought over his body, all the while fucking blindly. Eventually Sona pushed Ahri off of him and jumped on her grinding against her, her lips locking with hers and her tongue invading her mouth, their hands running all over each other.

James sat up and watched mesmerized as their lust drove them to attack each other, each molesting the others tits, kissing passionately, all the while their legs thrashed and their hips grinding into each other. They were so desperate for release they didn't care who it came from. Ahri rolled on top, panting slightly. Her tails fanned out, giving him full view of her virgina rubbing vigorously against the blue panties, the only thing Sona had left on her body.

That thought was proven wrong as soon as he thought it. Ahri broke of the kiss and turned to face him, not halting her movements. "Well? Are you coming to fuck us or not?" She demanded. She sounded desperate.

James stood and removed his boxers, the sight of his penis prompting Sona to finally kick off her panties. He could see in Ahri's eyes she was restraining herself from leaving Sona and just fucking him for herself. Sona's eyes begged him to stick his dick in her. James came up and kneeled between their legs, planting one hand next to the girls to steady himself. His eyes locked with Sona's, her eyes pleading. To her delight, he stuck it in her.

Sona let out a silent scream of pleasure, her hands grinding the blanket beneath her. James thruster into her at a steady, powerful rhythm, each thrust reaching deeper and deeper into her. Every time his rod pushed into her hole, Sona felt a fresh wave of pleasure corse through her. It was mind numbing. He was hitting just the right angle, his tip kissing the entrance of her womb. Ahri slipped out from between them, giving them full view of each other. James started thrusting harder and faster.

"Is she as good as she looks?" Ahri asked, draping herself on his shoulder. James replied by kissing her. "So she's good, but not as good as me?" She asked giggling a bit. Sona lunged and grabbed onto James and kissing him, her legs wrapping wrong his waist and locking her legs with his. "I love the expression on her face. If only we could hear the noises she's making." The heat between her legs demanded attention, and Sona's expression only made it worse. Her eyes were close, her mouth open in silent moans and gasps. Sweat covered her body, it's smell mixing with the heavy scent of both girls love juices. Ahri loved the smell.

"I can hear her." James told her. "She's using telepathy." One of the reasons James was fucking the girl so hard was because he could hear every moan, every whimper, every scream of pleasure. All the while she called his name, urging him to keep going, begging him to release his load inside her. And he was sorely tempted.

"Now, you know James..." Ahri said, pushing her breasts against him. She had begun teasing the folds of her entrance, just watching them was so erotic that she was close to cumming. One thrust and she would gush like a river. "You're not allowed to sleep until you put me in that condition." She indicated to Sona, who only had three words left in her vocabulary due to how much pleasure she was in.

"Fuck me! Fuck me! Harder! Harrrrddeeeeeeerrrr!" Sona screamed in ecstasy, no longer in control of her body. All she knew was she felt absolutely amazing, the source of it was the penis that was moving with great speed in and out of her pussy, and she loved the man who was screwing her. "Ah, auuugggghhhhhh..." A shiver ran through her entire body as the pleasure reached a peak. The love juices that had been leaking from her folds suddenly gushed forth, the pleasure so extreme she nearly blacked out. And still he pounded her. A tingle ran from her pussy and spread through her entire body, causing her to come again. Her pent up juices flowed continuously, making slopping noises every time he thrusted. Then he suddenly stopped, and she felt something hot shoot into her womb, filling her with a pleasantly warm sensation. When he finished he started to pull out, but Sona stopped him she grabbed his head and kissed him passionately, the lust completely gone. In its place was love and affection. "Thank you James. I love you." The she collapsed and passed out, completely spent.

James finally removed himself from Sona, his cock still stiff and hard. Before he even had the chance to catch his breath Ahri's hands grabbed him by the arm and pulled him on top of her, her tails wrapping around them.

"My turn, hot cheeks." She whispered huskily, nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck. She let out a groan of delight as James began to run his hands along the sides of her body while his mouth nibbled on her earlobe. She felt his hands run down her waist and her thighs, his fingers barely brushing her ass before he gently spread her legs.

"For you, I would fuck you like there was no tomorrow." He whispered into her ear. He led a trail of kisses down her cheek to her neck, all the while gently massaging the inside of her thighs. His kisses started to migrate south to her breasts, her nipples hard. There James stopped and looked Ahri in the eye a mischievous gleam in his eye. He came up and kissed her passionately, his hands gliding up her sides and brought her arms above her head where he pinned them with one hand. The free hand went back down, stopping at her breast for a quick squeeze before moving to her ass. Ahri moaned, shaking her hips happily. James gripped her tightly and pulled her even closer, his hand sliding to her thigh and raising her leg up. Ahri wrapped her leg around his waist and rolled, switching places with her husband. Only then did their lips separate, each of them panting for breath.

"Ready for round two?" Ahri asked in a seductive voice, one of her tails brushing against James cheeks. She began to rub her entrance on James stiff cock, desperate to have it inside her.

"Don't wake the kids." James replied, grabbing her head and pulling her in for a kiss. He bucked his waist, making it clear he was ready for action. Ahri didn't need to be told twice. She positioned her entrance at his tip and slid down, causing a lewd squelching noise and moans of pleasure from between their lips. James thrust fast and powerful, slamming his member as far into her as possible each time. Ahri moved her hips in time with the thrusts, maximizing the pleasure as best as she could. And by the gods, she was good. James could feel her pussy clamp hard on his member, trying to milk the cum out of him. James focused on the feeling of her tongue against his own, the taste of her saliva, the sound of her moans, the feel of her hands clamping a hold of his head in a firm but tender way. The feeling of her tails against his bare skin, the sweet scent of her sweat, the gentle heat of her body. How he truly loved Ahri, truly enjoyed every part of her. Suddenly, he was no longer being driven by lust. He fucked her because he loved her, because she was worth it.

James broke of the kiss, rolling back on top. They were lying right next to Sona now, Ahri's tails occasionally hitting her as James thrust into her at a rapid and steady pace. "I love you Ahri. Babe, I love you so much!" James whispered, nipping her ear. Not waiting for a response, he began to kiss her neck, ending with a kiss at the base of her neck above the collarbone. Ahri loved that spot, arching her back and moaning loudly.

James placed one hand on Ahri's ass while the other toyed with her breast, all the while he thrust his hard cock into the fox girl. Her voice steadily rose to screams of pleasure, her body moving in a fiery tempo with James's. Her love juices began to flow heavily, their scent mingling with the strong smell of sweat. Her insides trembled uncontrollably for a second, Ahri cumming hard. James continued pounding her pussy as hard as he could, resisting the intense pressure building in his member. He urged himself to go longer, harder, better than ever before.

It got to the point where James could not hold it anymore, so he sheathed himself inside her and fired. Ahri screamed in pleasure, holding onto him tightly. When James finished she kissed him passionately, then released him and gave him a loving smile.

"I love you James." Ahri told him, snuggling in his shoulder. "But you know, I'm not like Sona yet." Her hand grabbed ahold of his cock, slowly beginning to jerk him off. A pair of arms wrapped around him from behind.

"I could go for round two." Sona said, rubbing against him.

"I'm not getting any sleep tonight, am I?" James asked. The girls shook their heads. "Fuck me."James said, sighing.

"With pleasure." The girls replied in sync.


End file.
